


Feline Behavior

by Tobi_Black



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Humor, Author loves to chat in the Comments, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Gen, I blame (thank) Cuzosu for the headcannon of Lady Senju being a Hatake, I hope you two are happy being enablers, I whole-heartedly blame (thank) blackkat for this, Izuna's got a Crush on Touka, MAMAdara, Madara's got a Crush on Tobirama, Mito Ships It, Potty Mouth Uchiha, Thank you Clarissa for that one, The Author Regrets Nothing, This is far too entertaining, Tobirama-Is-A-Cat, a headcanon for one way summons expand their numbers, and why the summons tend to stay in families, despite intentions this has grown a Plot of sorts, the unholy trio
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-21
Updated: 2018-06-25
Packaged: 2018-12-18 08:28:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 76
Words: 43,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11870496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tobi_Black/pseuds/Tobi_Black
Summary: A series of drabbles inspired by a wonderful tumblr discussion thread called Tobirama-is-a-cat: discuss.Otherwise known as: how long will it take for "the favorite humans" (particularly a certain brother with a bowl cut) to realize that Tobirama is a cat in the disguise of a human.(Hint: Not for a long time.)





	1. The Spirit of the Wild

**Author's Note:**

  * For [blackkat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackkat/gifts).



> This is a gift to the wonderful authors in the small section of the Naruto fandom known as MadaTobi shipping that I have gleefully found myself in more often than not when in this part of the website after blackkat converted me.

Not even a day old, and the Lady Senju Kyoko knew that her second son was a true child of her clan, the Hatake.

It was in his crimson eyes, watching and tracking, while he lay quiet and still in her arms.

Her clan was the clan of wild things – wolves were the more common summon for them, but there were _others_. She herself had a great lupine, curled into her side with his gold eyes trained on the door to protect them from threats, but her grandmother had had something _else_. She was inclined to believe her son would be like her grandmother, as already his bearing was something far less _tame_ than the wildest of the canine variety, less tame than most of the lupine as well.

The rest of her husband’s clan looked at her son with their shared moon-kissed skin and snowy hair, and saw only his red eyes. Eyes so much like their rivals, the Uchiha, and feared him, thought him cursed, thought that he would curse them, when all _she_ saw was the bright eyes of a young predator.

They wouldn’t even meet _his_ eyes, baby as he was. She would have thought them cowards if she didn't understand.

Her grin was full of sharp teeth as she touched noses with her son, her precious Tobirama, amused at the almost affronted look that came to his face for her action, small hand coming up to bat her face away from where he deemed it too close to his.

(Kyoko knew what her son was, and loved him for it anyway. Loved him _for_ it.)


	2. Righting Reflex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or otherwise known as: Tōka figures it out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tobirama would always insist that she was far smarter than most gave her credit for.
> 
> And far more prone to laugh at your pain than be sympathetic while she helped you back up.

Tobirama grew older, body still small and scrawny, but he didn’t lose that untamable bearing or that quiet, watchful, tracking look in his eyes.

Not even when sprawled over the lap of his mother as she gently detangled the wild mess of pale spikes, trimming it down, his eyes half-lidded with contentment but still sharp and watchful.

When his eyes grew heavy with sleep, he curled into her side, curled around her back, wrapping himself around her, even as her wolf settled in front of them while she sharpened kunai and shuriken.

Tobirama rarely slept for long, taking naps here and there throughout the day, curling up and around his mother, near his brother, always in contact to his chosen few when he did. Always nearby when awake, sitting at the edges of the dog-pile his mother and brother formed at night, watching and waiting.

When his mother had things to attend to, when his brother had training with their father Butsuma, he drifted to his cousin Tōka.

She took the brunt of his play, often the practice targets of his ambushes, and his practice with the forms he saw his brother learn.

She didn’t complain about any of that, often encouraged it even as she threatened to send him flying with the ō-naginata her mother had given her, instead she complained about the ridiculous amount of silver hair that ended up on her after.

One day, he moved too slow – took a solid enough hit earlier in the day from one of the older Senju to the leg that it cracked the bone, and proceeded to hide it, but his movements were a fraction slower on that leg – and she whacked him in the chest solidly for it.

He went flying, nearly feet-over-head tumbling, but somehow managed to land back on his feet ten feet away anyway.

Tōka was the first to clearly think it. (Kyoko already knew.)


	3. The Right of First Refusal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hashirama . . 
> 
> There was a reason why Tobirama often lamented his brother's obliviousness.

Hashirama knew Tobirama ate, even if he never saw it, but still thought he was hungry when the younger boy would _stare_ , intently, at his food.

It always confused him that more often than not, Tobirama would turn it down and proceeded to be downright disinterested until something new came up amongst his food for the day, and even when he _did_ take it, it wasn’t ever more than a bite before he wandered off.

He was confused further when, after seeing this, Tōka would start, not just laughing, but _cackling_.

Hashirama was not the second to think it. (Tōka just laughed and laughed – right up until Tobirama did it to her, and when she just ate her food, he got a bit huffy, glaring at her food, before he just casually started to deep-clean his bloody weapons right next to wherever she was eating.)

(Tōka was _not_ amused at how he always managed to find her as she tried to eat, without fail.

Even if this was how they figured out that Tobirama was a Sensor.)


	4. Marking Territory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or, otherwise known as: Butsuma understands even if he would not call it so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The elder Senju was a hard man, and honestly, a bit of a bastard, in canon, but he did what he thought best for the Senju when at war. I've tried to really play on that because his relationships with his sons are strained because of it. It's a big part of the Butsuma & Tobirama relationship.  
> Here, I've just touched upon because I want Feline Behavior to be a bit more light-hearted than my other works. To be able to have as-close-as-fluff-as-I-can-write be plausible.  
> Only, this is still the Warring States era, and they are still shinobi.

Butsuma couldn’t understand his second son.

The boy was dutiful, quiet, and already shaping up to be a wonderful asset to the Senju with his sensing abilities. He just couldn’t understand what made his son throw kunai at the walls of their house, marking them up.

He was already annoyed at how his wife’s giant mutt scratched up floors and mats and doors with his nails, he didn’t have the patience to _keep scolding Tobirama for the tenth time in three days_.

It wasn’t even like he didn’t mark-up a dozen other surfaces, primarily the trees around the compound, for his weapons practice.

He just couldn’t understand what drove his spare to keep repeatedly disobeying him like this.

He was proud of how he had taken to the shinobi lifestyle so well, was proud that he had such accuracy with his weapons, was competent in his forms, that this all could come so naturally. But he found himself unable to give praise when those red eyes would look at him.

He knew that his son had taken to the shinobi lifestyle so well because it aligned with the wild instincts of his mother.

He might not have understood this habit of marking the walls around him like a creature did its territory, but he knew that these seeds of disobedience went much deeper.

He could see that even so young, Tobirama only listened to him, obeyed him, not because he was his father, his leader, but because he was stronger, because his mother bowed her head to him and he took his cues from her. He knew that if he ever proved weaker, that Tobirama would strike him down without hesitation.

He could understand that it was not in the nature of the predator cut from the same cloth as Tobirama was, to not be the strong, to not devour the weaker when given the chance, particularly if he deemed the ones above him to be the weaker.

Butsuma did not think it, but he understood best. (Other than Kyoko, as she smiled with sharp teeth with Tobirama draped half-asleep over her lap, listening to the second heartbeat at the swell of her stomach.)


	5. What is Yours is Also Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Full Title: What is Yours is Also Mine -and - Clearly You Can't Fend for Yourself But That's Okay Because You Have Me

Both Tōka and Hashirama quickly became recipients of one of Tobirama’s _odder_ habits, after Lady Kyoko.

(Kyoko saw every single little oddity of her second son, and lamented at least once a day how much better he would be treated back amongst her kinsmen. Where instead of being the odd one out, and the one most of his cousins – other than Tōka – ran away out of fear from, he would be just another the wild was strong in.)

Random things of theirs, and food, would disappear from among their things, from on their person, _from right out of my damn hand Tobirama!_

Sometimes they couldn’t be sure it wasn’t them misplacing their things, but after a while, they could almost assume if they’d had it, Tobirama had it _now_.

Particularly when he’d just stroll about _with it_.

Tōka’d had to give up on getting her yellow obi for her casual clothes back, because he’d just steal it back like he thought it was his in the first place. She’d be frustrated, if she thought he was even aware of it – but she didn’t. He’d been casually stealing Hashirama’s food for years, and didn’t quite seem to understand that what was Hashirama’s wasn’t his. And that had extended to her quickly after, now.

It didn’t mean she wasn’t annoyed at how he repaid his thievery by depositing weird things on their lap. Blatantly, yet on the sly. It annoyed her _so much_ how he could blatantly walk up with a dusty scroll, a bloodied kunai, a scrap of cloth, _a freshly killed rabbit once_ , and then somehow manage to get it into their (her) lap without them (her) noticing before he started to walk away even as she started screeching – _WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU BRING ME A RABBIT FOR?!_

Hashirama had just developed the habit of casually depositing whatever Tobirama brought him to the side, probably without even thinking about it, and then re-shuffling the goods elsewhere before the day was over.

Tōka was sure she’d seen Tobirama’s eyes narrowed after he saw Hashirama casually give his _bloody rabbit_ to the cook, before he’d brought him back a _deer_.

She might have laughed until she cried at his high-pitched shriek when Tobirama had casually dropped that in his lap.

(She thought about telling him about all the unspoken rules about the tamer strays around the compound, because clearly, it wasn’t clicking. She chose not to because his confusion was hysterical.)

(Also, Lady Kyoko had told her that it was best Hashirama figured this out on his own, because he’d be the one that would be a recipient of many of his brother’s odder habits for years to come, and he couldn’t get used to the answers being given to him.)

She very much laughed when Hashirama had looked ten types of confused after being fiercely denied the chance to hold their newborn younger brother after Tobirama got him, while Tobirama had proceeded to bring ‘gift’ after ‘gift’ to little Kawarama.

(She might have choked on that laughter when Tobirama had brought back a bloody kunai for Kawarama – particularly when Butsuma had started yelling for him to come explain why he’d decided that slicing his arm was a good idea.)


	6. Let Me In Let Me Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or, the one where Tobirama expresses his frustrations by making everyone around him miserable because he's not happy.

Ume had to fight to keep a straight face as she watched her leader get progressively more and more annoyed with his second son.

The boy had basically been kept on lockdown in the Senju compound since it had been discovered he was a Sensor – not just a shinobi with sensing abilities, but a Sensor more in line with their sister clan the Uzumaki with his range and sensitivity – as a failsafe for an ambush. She understood that Butsuma thought he was doing the best for his clan with keeping such an asset close, and even agreed with him, but Tobirama clearly didn’t.

The boy was restless, and wanted to get at least beyond the compound for a while, away from all the people for a bit.

As such, he’d been taking his frustrations out by playing little ambushes on many of their clansmen.

Only, every time Butsuma would try and find a mission to assign him – despite knowing that his wife would have his head for going against the spirit if not the letter of the agreement regarding child soldiers that he’d made as the condition for her marriage – Tobirama would turn it down.

Over and over she watched as Tobirama had made it quite clear he was tired of his confinement in all but name; over and over as Butsuma tried to find something that would get him out of the compound for a couple of hours, and over and over as Tobirama turned it down.

Elder Senju Ume recognized the tactic from the stray she’d been taking care of for much of the last year whenever the little she-devil was frustrated with her. (It made her laugh a little at seeing it play out between father and son.)

(It also made her a little sad to see how Butsuma couldn’t see that what Tobirama really wanted was a little freedom of movement like every other member of the clan had, even if he wouldn’t go far with how he hovered over his little brother. She personally couldn’t understand why Butsuma felt it necessary to keep Tobirama so close and under his gaze so much, having done so even before it was found he was a Sensor.)


	7. You Are My Cushion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A cat doesn't like it when it's human cushion moves.

Hashirama was confused (something that was almost always in the mix when it came to anything his brother did) when Tobirama sat down next to where he’d been told by their father to practice meditation – _Sage-dammit, stop fidgeting every time I try to explain something to you_.

Tobirama didn’t try to meditate, or to start a conversation yet. Just, leaned against his back.

Hashirama tried shifting a little, because his little brother’s weight was sitting squarely between his shoulder blades and it was a touch uncomfortable.

He was elbowed sharply in the ribs.

Tobirama leaned back, a little more heavily this time, putting most of his weight on his elder brother’s shoulders.

Hashirama shifted a little again, trying to not wheeze because his brother had knocked all the air out of his lungs.

Only to be elbowed again. Sharply. On the other side of his ribs.

He stopped moving, because it hurt to go against what his brother clearly wanted when he had such sharp elbows and didn’t hesitate to use them.

Only when he stopped moving, did Tobirama relax more fully against his back, less heavily than before, and speak.

His voice was a soft, contented rumble against his back, even with the annoyance coating it, “Adults are stupid. Is it that difficult to make a promise and keep it?”.

Hashirama flung his arms out with enthusiasm before he could think about it, “How about we make a promise! Show them that we can keep a promise even until we are adults ourselves! And that there should be nothing stopping them from keeping theirs!”, but Tobirama didn’t do anything other than re-adjust even when he froze, expecting another elbow to the ribs.

Tobirama made a soft noise that Hashirama took as agreeance, “I say that we promise that no matter what, we’ll be there for each other!”.

He made another soft noise, this one a little more enthused to show he _actually_ agreed to what he said.

Hashirama span around so that he could hug Tobirama, because a declaration like that – even if it was more agreement to a statement he himself made – deserved to have all the brotherly affection imbued in an action so he could know how touched he was. Only to be whacked in the nose with the back of Tobirama’s head as he knocked his brother off-balance, followed by his elbow in his chest when Tobirama tried to turn to face him.

Tōka, having just arrived, “Tobi-“, saw the deadpan look on the younger’s face for the elder’s plight and bloody nose as he stared down the wailing and whining, and just started to _cackle_.

_Well, that’s what you get for moving first, isn’t it?_


	8. Care for the Kitten

Kyoko watched fondly as Tobirama seemed entranced by the small pale-haired baby in his arms.

She knew Tobirama had basically started to revolve his life around Kawarama, moving many of his things into her room so that he could be near both of them always.

She appreciated the help honestly, as Tobirama took over many of the baby-raising duties – she wouldn’t quite use the word _happily_ , but _with_ _contentment_ was the best way to say it – that she’d come to accept as par course for having one, as she loved children even if she disliked the details of caring for small humans. Tobirama seemed to _enjoy_ taking care of the baby.

Kawarama even seemed to sleep best when Tobirama was carrying him around, so she imagined the feeling was mutual.

It made her feel better about how Butsuma – despite her heated protests regarding him being just a _child_ – had assigned Tobirama guard duty on the borders of the compound, and a bi-weekly patrol of their territory. She knew Tobirama actually liked that duty, even if he had gotten twitchy in the hours before since Kawarama was born, and she knew it was because he didn’t want to leave them when Kawarama was still so fragile, but liked his part in keeping them safe.

It made her feel better to see how the Hatake pack-bond was strong in her second son toward his siblings, because she knew that if they were threatened, there was nothing that would get in his way.

Even her foolish husband. (Especially her foolish husband.)


	9. The Nature Of

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The only thing I can say is that I wanted to explain Butsuma a little.  
> Maybe make him less of a complete bastard?

Butsuma noticed how his son spent his time when not training, when not with his mother or brothers.

He knew that he went and visited the elders Ume and Taka, visited his mother’s friends in the clan, visited the pregnant wives, helped with the youngest.

He could see the awe and contentment on his face as he carted Kawarama around most of the day.

He just ignored it.

(He ignored the occasional thought of how _if we weren’t at war, he would nurture this less violent tendency of his son to care for family_. He ignored how surrounding Tobirama with children softened the boy’s sharp eyes to something that scared his cousins less.

He ignored it to sharpen the boy’s extended-out claws, his little fangs, his watchful gaze.

He ignored it to toughen the boy’s thick skin. He ignored it to give him all the tools his eldest would toss aside _so that he would survive_.)

(His wife might hate him for turning their second son into a soldier, but he did it so at least some of their children survived because Tobirama already had the instincts to sacrifice himself for his family, and he was giving him the tools so that he didn’t die in the sacrifice, and so that his sacrifice was efficient enough that it _worked_.)

(His eldest might think that he’d lost himself to war, to avenging dead family instead of living for the survivors, but he hated this eternal war just as much. He just wasn’t as naïve to think that just _talking_ about peace would get them it when the others _wouldn’t_ _even listen._

He’d been just like his eldest once, dreaming of peace. He’d just put aside that dream when his father had been killed and the safety of the other Senju had been thrust upon him.

Protecting his family meant more to him than any childish dream of peace.)


	10. Territory

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Miray, here is the precursor I was talking about.

Tōka was the one to notice how there were more strays on their compound _after_ Tobirama had first seen battle with the Uchiha.

(Lady Kyoko was still _furious_ with her Lord husband about how their son’s patrol had clashed with Uchiha, and even Tobirama had taken to grabbing Kawarama and sitting in a tree just on the edge of hearing their continuing argument about _child soldiers_ and _child murder_ instead of hanging about in her room.)

Tobirama had told her all about the clash, just a skirmish really.

He was of the opinion that the meeting had been an accident, with the three Uchiha having been returning from a mission with one injured, and one of their clan summons had been scouting ahead.

The summon had seen him and immediately _had to_ investigate, before demanding pets.

(Tōka had just stared at him for that – because only he got that reaction. Anyone else would have gotten Ball of Clawing Fury if it wouldn’t have run away. He didn’t even seem to understand that _no, that’s not the usual reaction_.)

As such, the Uchiha had stumbled upon the patrol that had been staring at Tobirama just casually accepting the summon rubbing against his leg and looking deeply pleased when Tobirama pet her.

They hadn’t even fought; Tobirama had looked between the summon and the Uchiha, then spoke to the summon, “I’m not surprised the Uchiha are yours.”, before he waved the summon off.

The most interesting thing she’d found about the encounter was how Tobirama had proceeded to draw a line in the dirt – and she suspected with just enough room for the three Uchiha to pass them – then had turned narrowed eyes at them with the message quite clear – _this line is the edge of Senju territory_ with an implied _my territory_ , before casually dismissing them when they quickly run past on the other side of the line.

Tobirama had apparently kicked one of the older Senju in the back of the knee when they went to follow before saying that there was a larger patrol of Uchiha not too terribly far that they would run into if they pursue, saying it just loud enough that the three Uchiha could hear.

She didn’t doubt that he’d given a subtle gesture for the direction.

Tōka knew the gesture hadn’t been mercy as his brother would think, but a warning.

He’d clearly defined his territory and showcased his sensing abilities to their most common enemy. He had made it clear that he _would_ be a threat, regardless of his single-digit age, but only if they crossed a line he’d made.

She might have been proud of him more, if he hadn’t been swarmed by the strays when he’d come back, aggressively marking his legs and hands like he’d dared to _betray_ them by petting someone not them. Then had them spend every day since bringing him bigger and bigger gifts.

_Really, he gets brought mice and rats and sage-damn rabbits, and he smiles and praises his little minions?_

She settled on being somewhere near awe when there was a newcomer bringing him something rather like an _offering_ despite the dirty looks the strays were giving him, that spoke and called him _lord_.

She left before things got weirder – that had been a nin-trained stray, but she’d seen another one start to approach, one larger than the common breed, that cussed out all the people who tried to catch it on the way to her cousin, claiming to want to meet the _little-lord_.

She didn’t want to think about how Tobirama’s ability to pick up little minions extended beyond just the strays to include summons now.


	11. 'Body' Language

Lady Kyoko’s latest pregnancy was giving her problems, and as such everyone but the healers had been banned from her rooms so that there was less chance for her become further ill because they’d tracked something in.

It left her lupine companion Kouki wandering listlessly whenever he was kicked away from laying in front of the door to her rooms, looking lost.

Tobirama had taken over caring for Kawarama completely, and hadn’t tolerated his mother’s beloved companion being kicked, particularly when the wolf had taken it just to spend even a moment more, closer.

So Kouki followed at his side.

Tōka would have laughed at how much smaller Tobirama looked next to the giant Kouki, if she hadn’t been so worried about Lady Kyoko.

She laughed anyway because Tobirama had looked disturbed _not_ to hear her laugh.

She laughed because she noticed how Tobirama’s hair, shaggier now without his mother trimming it every few weeks to keep it just a bit shorter than Hashirama’s if it lay flat, _bristled_.

(It became a game, to see how different situations affected that bristle.

He’d become rather good at keeping his emotions under wraps, but his hair, now that it was long enough to properly bristle, gave him away _so much_.

It _prickled_ when he was uneasy.

It _bristled_ when he was suspicious or disturbed.

It _stiffened_ when he was affronted.

It _spiked_ when he was annoyed.

It _sagged_ when he was exhausted.

It _perked_ when he was curious.

It _fuzzed_ when he was frazzled.

It _softened_ when he was content.

It _drooped_ when he was sad.)

She found it eye-opening how well he’d come to regulate how he’d expressed his emotions, and how much he’d hidden from them.

She didn’t like often she saw his hair become a fuzzball of spikes, because she’d realized it meant he was upset. She didn’t like see how much the clan took advantage of him, shunned him, _hurt_ him after seeing him have a fuzzball of _drooping_ spikes for a solid day when he’d been denied the chance to talk to his mother.

She didn’t like it, and she swore to do her best to keep a better eye on him because he spent so much time unhappy and they’d never known. Would never know if he had his way.

She offered to trim it for him after only a week of having his emotions so exposed, because it was no longer funny to her.

(She wanted to see, wanted to have an environment where he could, because he deserved the option, but that time wasn’t now.

She understood that if anyone else figured it out, he’d be mocked for such an ‘obvious’ tell.

Understood that it could be a liability, when most of the clan feared him because of his red eyes.)

He took her up on it immediately.

(Tōka couldn’t decide if she was more sad, or more angry that he hated having such a weakness.

She settled on pissed because angry was familiar when her mother was a month-overdue to return from her mission, and she’d been told that she was too young to understand the cost of their lifestyle.

Tobirama at least had the decency of telling her that the clan thought her mother died from a run in with the Hagoromo clan.)


	12. Sleep

With shinobi working odd hours and in lots of high-stress environments, it was almost the norm that they develop the ability to sleep anywhere at the drop of the hat.

The particularly admired ones were the ones that could fall asleep anywhere in moments, like actual restful deep sleep, wake up in seconds, and slept in any number of strange positions.

They were admired because most had a too deeply-ingrain inability to sleep unless they felt _safe_ in some manner, and thus at best, napped anywhere, only when necessary.

Tōka cursed him with the passion of a thousand suns because he was more the former than the latter like her.

(It made waking her an unenviable task.

They drew slots about who would be sacrificed to a tired and grumpy teenager to get her up before the sun was at its zenith.

Tobimaru didn’t so much constantly lose that game as he was whined and wheedled at, and bribed.

After the fifth time the rules of the game weren’t kept to, he’d started making himself inconspicuous whenever the task came up.

Hearing Hashirama’s girly shriek as she clubbed him with her ō-naginata was _particularly_ satisfying.)

She cursed him because he was getting _better_ at it since he’d basically tied Kawarama to his chest at all times.

Had a moment while Hashirama was at the mercy of Butsuma’s training? He napped.

Had a moment while everyone else was eating? He napped.

Had a moment while sitting in a tree hiding from Hashirama? He napped.

Had a moment while she sharpened her weapons next to him, keeping everyone else away? He napped.

It got to the point that if she saw him close his eyes, it didn’t matter if he was standing, sitting, crouching, curled up in a ball around Kawarama, she _knew_ he was napping.

It frustrated her because it wasn’t even as if he was sleeping long. It was a few minutes here, a couple there, an hour here, a couple hours there. It just led to the _illusion_ that he slept most of the day.

(She _had_ noticed that he slept longest when holding Kawarama.

Longer when he was next to somebody, in contact with them.)

(She knew he didn’t sleep during the night, on guard, whether officially or unofficially.)


	13. Death

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for this sad little arch - it's only four parts?  
> The fourth one is amusing to me.

Lady Kyoko had seemed to be doing better for a while late in her pregnancy, but the birth killed her.

Tobirama hadn’t been supposed to be there – but Kouki had been whining at a pitch that he’d never heard before, sounding so sad and desperate, that he’d brought him to her room, having been trying to deaden his sensing as he could feel her pain screech through her chakra. He hadn’t been surprised when Kouki rushed in, bumping his head against her arm as she hoarsely screamed. He’d just followed before the healers could kick them out.

The presence of Kouki seemed to settle her, give her the strength she needed to bring his newest sibling into the world.

Because the blood won’t stop – _The blood wouldn’t stop! –_ he was handed Itama as the healers rushed to help his mother.

Just like Kouki, who let out the saddest howl, he knew when it was useless.

They knew the moment Kyoko did, when she gave a small, sad smile, ruffling his hair one last time without a single protest from him, and closed her eyes.

_He hated the feeling of knowing the exact moment of death, but resolved to never deaden his senses again. He would bear witness to the death so that they would not die alone, even if he wasn’t there in person._

The healers were frantic, trying to bring her back, but they knew they didn’t have the knowledge. It was in the hopelessness in their eyes.

_He swore then that he would do what his brother couldn’t – or wouldn’t, with his naturally healing chakra, he didn’t dare think on which or he would hate his brother – and learn the healing arts. He refused to let another family member die when he could have helped._


	14. Loss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part two.

Tobirama had known that Kouki wasn’t long for the world after his mother had died.

There was no life in his eyes.

(No life in his father’s, and he realized that despite everything, despite the arguments and how they’d become married – an oath of alliance for the promise that there be no more child soldiers – that his father _had_ loved his mother.

It was only then that he remembered her soft smile at the flowers that had always been at her bedside, and the small scratches on his father’s hands.

He knew that her mother would have done her duty to her clan, but he also had known the Hatake were too wild to be forced to do anything, and thus she’d accepted the promise for more than duty.)

It was no surprise that in the missions that he and Hashirama ran – he suspected that they were sent only because they were needed to, their numbers were less, the numbers of births far less than the number of deaths, than they pretended, because his father intended to honor his promise to his mother despite the urgings of _some_ of the elders – Kouki came with.

He was not surprised when Kouki took a kunai intended for Hashirama.

_He was devastated that this last living thing of his mother – other than him and his siblings – was gone. That his friend was gone. He just couldn’t show it with the murmurings of the clan about his curse upon them._

He had simply taken his cooling, bloody body from the sobbing, bloody Hashirama.

He buried the wolf next to his mother, beneath the cherry tree she had tended when she had the time.

No one commented on the white fur collar he wore sewn to the short haori he began to wear shortly after.

(It was his way to honor Kouki, and no one _dared_ to, when he turned his sharp gaze on them as soon as they opened their mouth to do so.)


	15. Mourning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part three.
> 
> Edit: Oops, it was brought to my attention that a little mix-up I'd caught myself doing - Tobimaru instead of Tobirama - was in this chapter and the next couple after it. I'll be fixing that!

Life had to go on despite losing the heart of their family.

Butsuma had to lead his clan regardless of who died.

(He had to move one despite his father being killed.

His brothers. His sister. His aunts and uncles. His cousins.

He _had to_ lead. No one else could.

He didn’t _want_ to anymore.)

He tried to draw in his eldest to pay more attention to his duties as heir.

(He wanted his son prepared to lead.

He knew that if he went into battle against Uchiha Tajima again, compromised as he was, he wouldn’t survive.)

He knew that Hashirama disappeared in the evenings. He had his second son follow him to the river in the neutral ground between Senju and Uchiha land.

(He didn’t know that Tobirama knew who his eldest’s friend was. What clan he belonged to.

He knew that Tobirama was wary but not concerned.)

(He noted that Hashirama _did_ have a layer of silver hair covering most of his clothes by the evening, and that Tōka cackled at the sight of it. Crowing about _someone_ being _possessive_.

He’d learned that whatever made his niece _cackle_ just made him despair over his children, and pointedly ignored it despite his eldest sulking at the deadpan look his second son gave him at his complaints.)

He saw Hashirama move past his grief.

(He suspected that he’d made a friend, bonding over the loss of a loved one. It made the grief easier to bear until there was just too much, then nothing helped anymore when death took more and more each year and there just wasn’t enough time passing before the wound was torn upon anew.)

(He didn’t see Tobirama move past his grief.

He hoped he’d at least _accepted_ it, as Kawarama toddled along at his side, or sitting on Tobirama’s hip, while he carried little Itama.

He suspected that Tobirama simply put all his grief into caring for what remained of his mother: his siblings.)

Tobirama asked to be trained more.

(He knew that his second son was doing it so he was less harsh on his eldest, who was less than interested in learning everything that was required for the head of a clan.

He chose to ignore this, focused on training him so that his clan would not fall with his heir once he was gone.

So that some of Kyoko lived on, with his four sons who he hoped, prayed, outlived him.)

He watched how Tobirama had softly smiled at how Kawarama had said his name.

(He could see how his eyes were sad, because Kawarama said it like everyone else said _mother_.)

(He saw Kyoko where Tobirama stood, and the grief hit fresh.

He couldn’t help how harsh his voice got as he called for Tobirama to come to his side a moment later.)

He saw how Hashirama tried to pet the fur at Tobirama’s collar, smiling and thinking it was rabbit fur.

(He saw how stiff Tobirama was as he hastily stepped just out of reach, eyes narrowed and voice biting.)

(He knew that Tobirama carried part of Kouki with him. He also knew Hashirama didn’t recognize the familiar fur.)

He watched Itama grasp the front of Tobirama’s haori, sucking on the edges of the fur collar in hunger.

(He saw the upset that flashed across his son’s face as he gently redirected Itama to suck on his fingers as he pulled out a bottle of milk one of the clanswomen had given him for the baby.)

He hoped that Tobirama could guide his brother to his dream of peace as he pulled on his aging armor for another battle with the Uchiha.


	16. New Happiness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part four.

With his mother gone, Tobirama didn’t leave the compound often.

He had become the primary caregiver for Kawarama and Itama, as his father had thrown himself into leading the clan since he’d managed to come out of his latest clash with the head of the Uchiha _alive_.

(Those that had returned knew it was because Tajima was just as compromised as Butsuma with the loss of his own wife. The woman’s absence had been conspicuous.

Tobirama had suspected so, as he had listened to Madara and Hashirama bond over the loss of their mothers. And he, unlike the willfully oblivious Hashirama, who he knew could put the pieces together and just willfully ignored the conclusion in his hopes for peace, knew Madara was an Uchiha.)

His days were spent caring for his siblings.

(Hashirama by way of putting himself at his father’s mercy.

Something had broken in the man with the loss of his wife, and while he wasn’t necessarily violent, his training was harsh.

He was just glad that he’d convinced one of the healers to teach him the basics of medical ninjutsu so he could heal the bruises before anyone could see.

Despite everything, he loved his father, and knew the man didn’t mean to be as harsh.

Butsuma just couldn’t be any softer.

He could see the tendrils of desperate fear in his eyes as he looked at them, his children, at his clan, afraid of failing them, of _losing them_.

He couldn’t blame him.

But he couldn’t forgive for how he’d put himself across an unreachable distance to Kawarama and Itama.)

His nights were dedicated to guard duty, now with once-a-week patrols of their territory.

(He’d become not just a fail-safe, but a deterrent as they’d heard whispers that their enemies _knew_ they had a Sensor and were hesitant to strike in their home territory unless they were sure they had superior numbers.

Butsuma wanted him close to the most mobile of the clan so that they could strike whichever ones were stupid enough to cross into their territory as soon as they did.)

His evenings were dedicated to tailing Hashirama.

(To keep an eye on Hashirama’s “friend”.

He knew that if Butsuma knew Madara was an Uchiha, that he would be ordered to kill him, to strike at Tajima and compromise him before their next battle.

He tailed him not just for Hashirama’s safety – because he _would kill_ Madara if he tried to hurt his older brother – but to keep anyone else from finding out.

He wanted Hashirama’s dream of peace for everyone, to exist.

He understood Madara was his best chance of ending the war between their clans.)

The early morning was his own though.

He’d (accidentally) made his own friend.

He’d gone one morning to the river where Hashirama met with Madara, to see for himself if perhaps it had been just fate that the two heirs of their warring clans would meet without bloodshed, or if there was something about the river. It hadn’t taken more than a moment for him to decide that it had been a lucky coincidence, the two of them going to this place after the deaths of their mothers, but he hadn’t left.

He’d stayed, basking in the early morning sunlight, letting it warm him after the chilly night, maybe even take a short nap.

He’d then sensed two chakra signatures come his way, cracked an eye open even as he’d gripped a kunai, but didn’t move because one of the two was a summon, one he knew.

It came around the Senju compound every week or so, to meet him.

(He didn’t understand why the summons called him _little-lord_ , but he liked them as much as he liked his strays.

Tōka typically laughed though.

He didn’t understand that either.)

He heard them before he saw them.

“Let me go, you bastard!”

“I’m not a bastard, you little fucker! Why the hell are you still here! Summons don’t stay in our world for long!”

He’d sighed as a grey beast with gold eyes darted out of the trees on the other side of the river, leapt across the water, and sprung into his lap.

The other chakra had come out of the trees moments later, turning out to be a boy a couple years younger than him, maybe four years older than Kawarama.

He looked a lot like Madara, and the dark spiky hair with onyx eyes gave him away as a Uchiha regardless.

He’d paused on the river-bed, looking around with a glare, “Why the hell are we at this river?!”, before spotting him, pointing one finger accusingly, “Are you nii-san’s friend?!”.

One eye had twitched at the accusation, and he’d grabbed the summon, absently petting him while he stood, offended, “No. _My_ nii-san is friends with that giant bird.”.

(He’d been planning to ignore the other boy for the most part, right up to when he’d been compared to _Hashirama_.

That was just plain _insulting_.

He loved his older brother, but he _was not_ a giant, hyperactive puppy with mood swings and who cried far too easily.)

The other boy had bristled, puffed himself up and yelled back, “NII-SAN IS _NOT_ A GIANT _BIRD!!_ ”.

He’d raised an eyebrow, let the summon go with a last pat on the head, and left, making sure to take a round-about route back to Senju land just in case the boy had _some_ sensing ability.

He’d gone back the next day, wanting some space after Hashirama had pouted at him most of the previous day for never spending any time with him, only for the boy to be waiting.

He’d just come through the trees, curious despite himself as to what the boy could want, and the boy had launched into a loud rant, “HOW DARE YOU LEAVE BEFORE ME YESTERDAY! I WASN’T DONE TALKING!!”.

He’d raised another eyebrow at the boy, amused at how he was all puffed up and indignant, then sat down on the river bed, picking up a smooth, flat rock and skipping it.

The boy’s eye twitched, and he’d pointed his finger angrily, “ARE YOU IGNORING ME?!”, before falling down on his butt when the rock skipped out of the water and smashed into his leg.

Tobirama had smirked, amused.

When the boy didn’t get up, but kept yelling, “ARE YOU LAUGHING AT ME?!!”, he laughed.

Not a chuckle, not a cackle, but a short bark of laughter.

The boy stormed off shortly after.

The next day, Tobirama hoped he showed up, because in a way Hashirama wasn’t, the boy was amusing.

(He needed amusing; Hashirama had driven him up a wall the day before with questions about _why are you amused?! Did someone trip and die in one of those nasty pit traps you made?! Or get caught in those hunting snares and were dangling by their ankle, screaming for help?!_

He would be offended if he hadn’t smirked at the idea of some foolish person – he found himself indifferent if it was a clansman or not, stupidity should be weeded out – getting caught in one of his traps. A few of them he’d made purposely terribly obvious _just so if someone got caught in one, it was because they were stupid_.

Hashirama hadn’t understood that, and proceeded to wail at him _why do I have such a cruel brother?! Would you catch birds just so you could pluck out their feathers?! Would you chase the mouse until it could run no more just for fun?!_ )

(Tōka had stared, intently, at Hashirama during the whole conversation, looking more and more mystified at each comparison Hashirama had said.

She _couldn’t understand_ _how_ Hashirama could _make_ such comparisons and _still not get it_.)

He waited on his side of the river, skipping rocks as he did.

He’d felt when the Uchiha boy had gotten close, but kept skipping stones because he didn’t want the boy to realize he was a Sensor.

(He knew that he was the only Sensor worth of note in their area and it would take some of Hashirama’s willful oblivious to not realize he was the Senju Sensor _because both he and the rumor were so young_. The chances that it would be just a coincidence was far too low for him to pull that off unless the boy _wanted_ to believe it.)

Only, his last skip had been a little too strong.

(He might have been nervous, because he didn’t want him to realize that he’d already made a bit of a name for himself and be scared off.

Or worse, attack.

That was what _he_ would do if the boy presented such a threat to his clan.)

It skipped right out of the water, bouncing up and over the river bed.

To hit him in the forehead.

(He would maintain that _it’d been an accident!_

No one would believe him because his aim was far too good.)

(His mother would have said that he was trying to scare the boy off, because he _didn’t_ know _how_ to _interact_ with _people._

Family apparently not counting.

Or at least _close_ family. Considering his cousins would keep as far away as possible.)

The boy had held up a hand, pointing a shaking finger and just. Started. _Yelling_.

“WHAT THE FUCK! WERE YOU AIMING AT ME?! SERIOUSLY, WHAT THE FUCK!!”

He marched forward, picked up a rock, and threw it.

“WHAT THE FUCK, YOU FUCKER! DO I HAVE A SIGN ON MY FACE THAT SAYS ‘HIT ME HERE!’!!”

Picked up another rock, and another, and pelted them at him.

(Tobirama might have had a little trouble dodging some of the rocks, getting hit in the arm and chest and leg.

He wouldn’t admit it though. He was supposed to be above this.)

The boy just kept throwing them, yelling all the while.

(He might not have appreciated _just getting yelled at_.

It just wasn’t in his nature to take the verbal assault lying down.)

He picked up his own rocks and started throwing them.

(He might not have hit the boy as many times as the rocks he’d thrown.

It honestly was a bit of a draw on who hit who the most.)

Dry insults had joined the boy’s loud cursing.

“I’ve seen old women throw harder than you.”

“What are you, four?”

“Neither your bite or your bark is very intimidating.”

After a while, they were both panting even as they reached for more rocks.

They didn’t throw them though because the Uchiha boy had narrowed his eyes, but not in anger.

He stood up from where he’d crouched half to dodge, half to get more ammunition, walked a step closer, narrowed his eyes further.

Tobirama found himself slowly straightening despite himself, because what little hostility that had come between them was fast fading, and he cautiously hoped the boy would let go of the previous scene.

The Uchiha boy’s eyes widened, and he seemed to blurt out his thought, “Your eyes are _red! That’s so cool!_ ”.

(He found out the boy’s name was Izuna.

He was the youngest brother of four surviving sons. The oldest brother had died before he’d been born, but Madara talked about him occasionally.

He hated sweet food. Loved his summons no matter how he always seemed to get the foul-mouthed one when his mother had been able to get the sweetest, and fiercest, queen.

He loved his brothers, particularly his older brother Madara.

He’d been wanting to meet the reason why his brother had looked happier since their mother had died. Mostly so he could threaten him to never hurt his brother.)

(Tobirama thought he was a lot like a cat.

It irrationally made him want to pet at his hair like he did the strays and the summons, to see if he would purr.)

(Tōka would have face-palmed at his thought. At the pure _irony_.)


	17. Escape Instinct

Taka was amongst the oldest of the clan, a samurai whose life had been saved by Butsuma’s father.

He’d seen more than most had, having lived past his thirties unlike the greater majority of the clan. He’d already been older than most would see when Daisuke had saved his life.

He knew when the younglings like Butsuma’s children were up to things they knew their father would have a fit over.

(He’d sworn an oath to look out for the best interests of the clan.

It meant speaking up when he thought the head was making a _stupid_ decision.

It also meant nipping any stupid ideas in the bud from the kids.

No one would believe how many times he’d stopped a child from getting it in their head to try and avenge their parent.

At least by themselves. The adults were too eager to avenge their fallen loved ones to really listen, but at least the children didn’t often die from their own foolishness before hitting double digits thanks to him.)

He knew why Butsuma didn’t see Hashirama’s, because the boy likely was ignoring every sign of his friend being someone his father wouldn’t approve of.

(The fact that Butsuma had assigned Tobirama to watch and report back was merely delaying the inevitable.

It was also why Butsuma probably had ignored the signs himself, because he believed that Tobirama would come to him if Hashirama’s friend was from the wrong clan.

He didn’t see that Tobirama was dedicated to Hashirama’s dream.

He knew Tobirama didn’t see himself in it, but he wanted it for his brothers. He wanted a peace, where Kawarama and Itama could live without war.

Tobirama would deal with any threats, barring any major ones, himself. From _any_ side.)

He knew why Butsuma didn’t see Tobirama’s, because the boy gave very little away unless he meant to.

( _He_ only could see _snippets_ because the boy’s guard dropped a little around Kawarama and Itama, and he whispered some of the details of his own ‘friend’ to them.

The boy knew _exactly_ who his friend _was_ , and chose so anyway.)

(If the boy had befriended someone from the clan he thought, he wondered about the possibilities.

He could see why the child would risk it. From both sides.

He also could see how stupid it could be. So he watched – the moment he felt things had begun to spin out of Tobirama’s control, he wouldn’t hesitate to speak up.

The welfare of this clan was worth whatever hate would come his way for his words.)

Tobirama also knew he was watching, because the moment he felt his eyes on him, he moved away.

He took Hashirama away. He made sure only to whisper to his younger brothers while perched high in trees where only a soft murmur could be heard with _not a word_ able to be made out.

He made sure Hashirama wasn’t followed. Interfered and stalled anyone who tried until he was out of range. Removed any trace of a path left behind.

Tobirama himself was a ghost.

Trying to follow him was pointless when he didn’t want you there. He would lead you on a merry chase through any number of nearly-lethal traps at any attempts to corner, capture, or herd him towards his friend.

(He’d heard Tōka laugh and call Tobirama like one of the strays.

He’d thought her making fun of him for a while.

Before Lady Kyoko had died, he’d seen a little.

Seen a lot with how often the boy had come around, offering to play a few games with him.

He’d just refused to seriously think it, because he felt ridiculous making the comparison.

Now though, he thought it.

Because Tōka may have said it in fun, but it was a _very_ apt description for Tobirama.)


	18. In the Tree

When somebody wanted to find Tobirama, there was a certain list of places to check that had the best chances of actually being where he was.

(There was always looking for Hashirama first, because there was a good chance he would be somewhere nearby.

It wasn’t always perfect though, because Tobirama _would_ avoid Hashirama if subjected too long to the older boy’s whining and sulking.)

(Tōka was good at finding him.

Outside her hearing, they would whisper _like calls to like_.

For where he was wild, a predator in every sense of the word, _she_ was _untamable.)_

There was the cook’s hearth.

(He would help the cooks compile lists of what they had, listened to how they could stretch their food longest if it was one thing or another.

He would nap near their fire.

He would leave them gifts of rabbits and deer.)

There was the roof of the main building of the compound.

(He napped there when typically evading both Hashirama and Tōka.)

There were the trees near the training grounds.

(He also napped there.)

If the sunlight shined right through the copious number of trees.

(He laid there.

Often napped there.

All three of them, Tobirama with Kawarama and Itama, would nap there.)

When he’d clearly had it (with Hashirama, the Elders, the Clan as a whole), he’d typically go somewhere higher.

(His favorite, and the one that no one intruded on, was in the branches of his mother’s sakura tree.)

It was the source of great amusement for Taka and Ume, and some others of the clan, to watch Tobirama recline in those branches, eyes half-lidded, looking down impassively at a whining Hashirama begging for him to come down.

The flat no that sent Hashirama sulking at the edge of the clearing was particularly amusing.

(To most of them, the fact that Tobirama seemed to spend most of the day up a tree made them ask themselves one question:

_Is he incapable of getting down on his own or is he just waiting for someone to get him down?_

They would not be surprised in the least if he put himself up there just to make Hashirama carry him – and their younger siblings – down.)

(Tōka knew what he was doing.

It was why Hashirama found him at all.)


	19. Water

There was one particular trait about Tobirama that Tōka found _particularly_ confusing.

(There were _lots_ of personality quirks about her younger cousin that she honestly couldn’t understand, even if she had long ago decided that he was merely just in a human skin and not actually like the rest of humanity.

Seeing sleepily flex his hands on whatever had the misfortune of being his cushion, _like he was kneading it_ , was one thing.

Seeing him stretch and arch his back into shapes that she _honestly didn’t think the human spine could make without snapping_ , was another.

Yet, she’d learned to accept and move on while repeating over and over the mantra she’d once thought when she was five and he was a newborn.)

This _one_ trait just took the prize though for _how utterly confusing Tobirama can be **WITHOUT TRYING**_.

If there was water in his vicinity – and no enemies in his range – he started stripping and made to dive into it.

She understood that his jutsu was inclined toward water, but his _affinity_ for water was just ridiculous.

She’d seen him perk up at the sight of a rice bowl full of water.

(She’d actually tested this one day, to see how much water it took to get him to strip.

Mostly because it’d become her unofficial job to reign him in, and if she knew what got his attention before Tobirama did, the easier things were for her.

Other than that, it was hilarious to see how some of their clansmen became outright scandalized at him just _casually stripping_.)

(She almost wanted to see what would happen if he started doing that in battle – how many of their enemies would it distract _seeing him just casually stripping and diving into water_.

It had even distracted Butsuma on occasion, making him lose his train of thought.)

A rice bowl of water got his _attention_.

A decent sized puddle got his _intent_ focus.

A water bucket had him moving closer.

The shallow well had him leaning over the edge, eyeing it.

(If they didn’t drink from this well, she didn’t doubt that he’d actually be contemplating how much water was actually there and whether there was enough.)

The small koi pond had him standing in it before anyone could even notice he’d seen it, water up to his calves, if he was left unsupervised near it.

The bath bucket had him stripping, and quickly getting in.

(She’d determined that he _only_ stripped, if there was enough water for him to fit in.)

He wouldn’t _dive in_ unless it was the river.

(Tōka had to admit then that maybe the summon had it right, calling Tobirama _little-lord_ , and maybe she’d been thinking too _small_.)


	20. Inquisitive

Hashirama had always known his brother was curious.

He remembered how he’d always wanted to know _more_ , know _why._

_Why is the sky blue?_

_Why do birds fly?_

_Why do the seasons change?_

He’d always been inquisitive.

_How do birds fly?_

_How does the day change to night?_

_How does chakra work?_

His fondest memories were laughing as Tobirama had followed the five-year older Tōka around asking every question that had crossed his mind.

She’d been exasperated (but still fond) as she’d tried to answer as many of his questions as possible.

(Only, already Tobirama had known more. Investigating what he could, and asking everyone around what he couldn’t.

He had still asked because, in his eyes, Tōka was the true definition of _awesome_.

It didn’t matter that she didn’t know the answers, he could find out himself soon enough.

It mattered that she _tried_.

Not just that she tried to _answer_ him, but to _understand_ both the questions and the answers.)

He wasn’t the least bit surprised when after he’d shown an ability that no one else in the clan had, that Tobirama had immediately started testing his limits.

(All the while muttering something about chakra maturing with puberty, revealing _affinities_.)


	21. You Are My (Living) Hot Water Bottle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kusode? Kosode?  
> The traditional kimono top.

Izuna had _NO IDEA WHAT WAS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW_.

He’d come out to the river to meet Tobirama, as was their habit roughly every couple of days, and Tobirama had immediately crossed the river to where he was.

Normally they taunted each other from opposite sides.

(They didn’t spar because Tobirama knew they were at war, and didn’t wish to sully their friendship with a mockery of what they could be forced into soon enough.

Izuna didn’t fight it because he had an audience that _understood_ being a younger brother and listened with sympathy, and so he enjoyed talking – Tobirama called it _ranting_ – to the older boy.)

He’d noted it was cooler than normal, a sign of the approaching winter away from the scorching summer, but he’d simply grabbed a slightly thicker _kosode_ than normal to compensate.

He didn’t expect to be rushed the moment he came out of the trees, where a Tobirama, dressed more the start of winter with his multitude of layers and wearing of _tabi_ with his _waraji_ instead of just _geta_ , basically adhered to his side.

He’d stiffened, because the older – though slightly smaller than him to something almost _petite_ (that really highlighted the occasional _he’s just adorable_ thought) – had slid right up to him, half under one arm, and was all but burrowing under his clothes.

(And decided to be a real asshole by sliding his _icy_ fingers under the hems.)

Izuna literally could feel the other boy absorbing his heat as his entire right side cooled from contact.

(He was abruptly reminded of his clan’s summons, and the strays they attracted, and how they would congregate together in the cooler weather despite how they typically fluctuating between cordial and temperamental when within scenting range. All because they were cold.)

He’d frozen when he’d felt the other boy tugging and pulling him around by his clothes until he was sitting with his back against the tree on the ground before burrowing _closer_.

(He’d cursed. Loudly. At how more of Tobirama’s chilled skin came in contact with him and leeched away all his warmth.

Only to be abruptly cut off with an elbow to the gut.)

Then proceeded to take a nap half-draped across him, curled into his side.

(He didn’t know it was Tobirama’s first winter without Kouki, without someone who radiated so much heat to compensate for how his affinity drained his own ability.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> May have made a Pokemon reference without meaning to?  
> Kudos to you if you catch it!


	22. One of Mine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I blame this entirely on the tumblr post I skimmed about why the Uchiha had the aesthetic they did during the Warring States Era.  
> You know, the no armor one.
> 
> When I find it again, I'll credit it.

Winter struck early that year.

Tobirama hadn’t been the least bit surprised considering he’d been feeling it when the temperatures had first dropped from a comfortably balmy.

(Beyond the extremely comfortable just-a-bit-cool, and laying in a ray of sunlight is just the _best_.)

(It wouldn’t have been so bad in his opinion, if the cooks hadn’t drawn a line with him coming around and just laying about near their fires because he was a bit chilly.

Claimed he was a bit of a nuisance and in their way for cooking.)

It seemed to take everyone else by surprise though.

(Most hadn’t taken his suggestions about stocking up food earlier to heart, thinking they had all of the fall to do so, and not the two moons they’d gotten before the frost killed what was left and critters got _real_ hard to find.)

(Izuna had just looked at him funny when he’d said that it was supposed to be a bad winter.

He hadn’t dismissed him, but regardless, Tajima hadn’t taken his youngest’s suggestion.

He didn’t know that Madara had taken it seriously, had hoarded food for his youngest brothers _fiercely_.

He didn’t know that Madara had told Izuna after three of their younger cousins had died from a lack of food, that his _friend_ may have just saved the lives of their two other brothers because their clan was starving.)

He hadn’t though, so he’d ranged farther and farther away from their territory, leaving Hashirama to their father’s attention, as he’d hunted.

(His father’s complaints about him leaving without permission had meant nothing to him, when he’d brought back deer for the clan, and hoarded rabbits to feed Kawarama and Itama.

He wouldn’t have them starve because _adults were stupid_.)

With the weather turning worse and worse for him, he’d told Izuna that they’d meet up again in spring.

(Because _sage-no_ to going out, he had every intention of hiding in the attic space above the cook’s hearth with Kawarama and Itama, taking advantage of how everyone else – even Hashirama and Tōka – were too big to fit there, because it was _warm and he wasn’t leaving there unless they were being invaded by stupid people_.

Well, more stupid people than normal. He’d taken to just dropping in on Taka and telling him what directions idiots were coming from, and let _him_ deal with the stupid people trying to attack them with the cover of bad weather. Because like _that_ hindered his sensing abilities.)

When Tōka put her foot down about seeing Kawarama and Itama at all during this winter, he might have left the compound after that first snow storm.

(Might have because unlike his brothers and Tōka, unlike the rest of the clan, who he could easily check on visually, Izuna’s well-being was harder to check.

He’d expanded his range and knew he was _alive_ , but he wasn’t happy with the feelings Izuna’s chakra gave him.

 _Hungry, cold, unhappy_.

There were times his chakra was the opposite, but they weren’t as often as _hungry, cold, unhappy_.)

(He was well aware of the risks to go onto Uchiha land.

Knew that if Izuna figured out that he’d been there, the game they’d played about ignoring how they’d not given their clan names would have to be acknowledged.

They both knew, even if they hadn’t said it, that Izuna was an Uchiha, but Tobirama’s unusual coloring had kept them from having to say his clan name.

It didn’t mean he wouldn’t toe the line ~~because he was worried.~~ )

He’d gone to the edge of the neutral territory, to where Izuna’s chakra had gone before.

(He’d made sure that he’d played on how he’d always angled himself from coming just to the side of Senju territory, so if Izuna ever thought about what lay on the other side of the neutral territory in the direction he came from, he wouldn’t think Senju.

Whatever mental conclusions Izuna drew about what clan he came from, as long as he didn’t think _Senju_ , Izuna might be willing to ignore what clans they were.

Might be willing to leave it at that and stop trying to guess what clan he was from.

He hoped he asked _Hatake_ soon, because it wasn’t a lie.

He tried not to lie to friends. Or they became just _allies_. If that, depending on the lie.)

He’d left one of his precious rabbits for Izuna.

(Tōka would have laughed to know that he’d carved two small doors on the neighboring trees on either side of the hanging rabbit, as his signature.)

(He didn’t know Madara was the one to find it, or put together the silver hair shed on the rabbit with the silver hair Izuna had come back wearing occasionally.

Izuna certainly wasn’t going to tell him, as his brother had _laughed at him_.

Thinking his ‘secret friend’ was a summon. He just didn’t bother correcting him.

Instead, _he’d_ laughed when Madara had ended up covered in that damn-clingy hair just for handling that rabbit.

Kept laughing at how no matter what his brother did, they’d keep finding some silver hair on his person.

Probably because he’d kept finding rabbits on the edge of their territory, left by Tobirama every week or so.

It only went away when the winter finally ended, and they’d managed to avoid to starvation by a hair.

 _A silver hair._ )


	23. Curiousity

Tobirama was curious.

He knew it.

(He exploited it to the fullest.

At least half of his pestering the other members of his clan had been training them to bring him anything of interest.

Whether that was reports of how others fought. Scrolls about anything and everything. Stories from the villages their missions took them to. Food. Ideas.

Anything that was different.)

It was why he did so well with the healing arts.

(And not just because of frequent use. Between both his own minor injuries from training with his father, and helping after other clan members were injured.

He did well because he knew the human body as something more than points to aim for to harm.

He did so well because Kawarama giggled when he probed his chakra system.

He denied the existence of Kawarama’s giggled _your chakra is minty Tobi-chan!_ )

It was why he excelled with training.

(He _had to_ know how everything worked. The why. How the slightest change could affect the results.

He looked at everything like a puzzle to solve, and it meant that there was little he couldn’t do.

Tōka liked to point out that his _people skills_ left much to be desired.

He didn’t see why – pointing out that one of the elders was getting a bit round in the middle was just pointing out how he put himself at risk if he had to fight, _not_ calling him fat.)

It was how he’d expanded his sensing range far beyond others. With far more precision.

(He’d practiced following Tōka’s chakra everywhere, whether in a crowd amongst the clan or beyond their territory.

Hashirama was easy; His chakra was such a _bright, overflowing with happiness_ big splotch across his senses. He’d actually learned how to dull his attention to his brother, or risk being unable to notice anyone else if he wanted to spend any time with him inside his range.

He knew how to stretch his senses, push his consciousness far beyond his sight. Knew how far he could press before the immediate area around him was lost.

He’d learned his limits, and kept pushing them.)

Chakra theory was a favorite.

(Partly out of necessity.

Water affinity like he had was _beyond_ not common in the Senju clan. With earth being primarily the only one that showed up. There were far more wind users than water users in his clan. The only thing _less_ common was fire affinities, with a lightning affinity a little less than wind even if it was _nearly_ as rare as water.

He’d had to figure out his own affinity primarily from experiments. Being the _only_ water affinity amongst the Senju.

Then there was the mess of Hashirama’s mokouton.

There was literally, _no other_ known users, _past or present_.

It meant a lot of – glorious, _wonderful_ – experiments.)

There was literally no end to chakra theory. Theory that could _only_ be known with experiments.

(Considering that Hashirama’s unique ability to channel both earth and water chakra _in sync_ was shaping up to be _incredibly useful_ with its capabilities of defense, it meant that he had a lot of excuses to ask for strange things for experiments.

It also meant he got to monopolize his elder brother’s time because Butsuma had declared Hashirama learn at least some manner of control of utmost importance.

Particularly after the third time he fell asleep during his meditation practice and had grown three full-grown trees around him. In the middle of his room.)

(To be clear, Tobirama loved his experiments.

There was _always_ something more to be learned.)


	24. This One's MINE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this chapter needs a warning.  
> Not quite the Graphic Warning of Violence tag, but something of a Violence Ahead tag. A, If Squeamish At More Than Passing Reference of Blood Beware, tag.  
> I think I shall call it: Reference of Deadly Violence Ahead.

Tōka didn’t live her life with regrets.

It wasn’t her way. She knew that her life would be short, so she lived it without regard to what others thought she should be for her gender.

(She didn’t regret how on the way back from a mission with a distant cousin, that she saw a band of Hagoromo. One that had a _very_ familiar katana.

She’d rushed forward at the sight, enraged.)

(She did regret that she’d been captured by the Hagoromo, taken prisoner.

She’d heard them talking about trying to get information from her about the Senju, particularly this rumored Sensor of theirs. Whether or not she cooperated, they intended to have her executed.

She regretted that even as her cousin had stayed behind, running away, that she would not see Tobirama, Kawarama and Itama, Hashirama, again.)

She’d followed her mother’s path of training with a weapon to mastery. Using a blade, that like her mother’s long katana, that was thought better suited to men.

She honed an art that many of her clan would neglect merely because it was useless against the Uchiha.

(Her skill with genjutsu may be the only reason why things hadn’t been taken further than physical torture.)

(She wanted to prove that somebody didn’t have to be an Uchiha to be good at genjutsu, because she was of the opinion that hers were _awesome_.)

She didn’t live with regrets, so despite how she knew it would extend her life to _not_ be an ass and give the Hagoromo anything, even false information, she just back-talked them.

(It wasn’t her style to talk circles around someone.

They called her a bit of a blunt instrument for how little she did – and her violent ways – but it was also why she and Tobirama got along so well.

Tobirama _could_ mislead and talk without saying anything important – she’d seen him do it to Butsuma on occasion – but he typically chose not to.

She was sure he just _liked_ being a sassy little shit.

It also honestly _amazed_ her the things he could say and _not be killed for saying it_.)

They’d bound her arms together and hung her from a ceiling, but she’d still kicked and fought whenever they got into range.

She’d been pulling on the chains holding her to the ceiling – having been deemed too dangerous to be kept by mere rope, even chakra rope – feet braced on either side, when she’d felt a familiar chakra approaching.

(She may not have been a Sensor like Tobirama, or even have more than the average sensing abilities of a war-raised shinobi, but the former faint pinprick had flared with _intent_ on the edges of the Hagoromo compound.)

She’d froze despite herself at the wave of _anger, rage, how dare you, will kill you_ that had hit her. Had surely hit everyone in the Hagoromo’s territory before it’d disappeared.

(It had been felt as far away as the Senju compound.

Every battle-tested shinobi had gone still, hair rising on the back of their necks with a primal fear.

It had gone dead quiet, before someone had gotten the bright idea to look for their second heir once it had occurred to them that he’d _sensed from nearly a quarter of the continent away_ Tōka’s fate as the cousin returned with news just moments before.

Kawarama had broken the quiet with a cry. A howl almost.

It reminded them that Tobirama wasn’t the only one amongst them of Hatake blood.)

(It had been felt as far away as the Uchiha compound.

Every battle-tested shinobi had gone still, hair rising on the back of their necks with a primal fear.

None of them recognized the chakra. A few thought it _familiar_ , almost like the child Sensor they’d met not-quite years ago.

Izuna thought it familiar, almost like his Tobirama. He kept quiet, even as his head churned with the possibilities that his friend was the Senju Sensor, and apparently far more powerful, _far more of a threat_ , than he’d thought.)

Not because of death. But because Tobirama, as a Sensor, knew better than anyone how to pull his chakra close and hide it.

(It was a skill she’d yet to see anyone else know.

It had yet to not _completely unnerve_ anyone faced with it.)

She cursed because she knew Tobirama was on the Hunt.

(It didn’t matter that she’d never truly _seen_ him be the predator they all knew him to be.

Battles had sharpened him, even if he’d never displayed any killing intent before.

Now, she wondered if he’d been taking the few skirmishes on their borders seriously. He hadn’t quite been _playing_ with them per se, but there had been an efficiency and almost-lack-of interest that had him killing them only with speed because they were a threat to the others.

Now, she knew he’d simply been doing his duty, defending his territory just beyond it.)

(She _knew_ him. She knew that he’d hidden himself and would _play_ with them like a tiger did, stalking through grass.

Like the leopard from up in the trees, dropping down on his prey.

He wouldn’t just kill them. He would _slaughter_ them. Leave the bodies laying around as warnings.

Just as the wave of chakra had been a warning. Been _a_ _threat and a promise_.)

Tōka wasn’t afraid, but she’d much rather be free to fight alongside him.

(She knew he was alone. It didn’t matter that she believed him completely capable of taking out any manner of enemy when he had stealth and surprise on his side. He was still outnumbered, and all it would take was _one_ mistake to bring the entire clan down on him.)

She dropped the genjutsu she’d cast on herself, flared her own chakra beyond the limits of the weak suppressors on her, and pushed it through her arms.

The chains crumbled as her earth-affinity made them brittle, leaving her standing on the ceiling before she hopped down, left the room and went to find her ō-naginata.

(Tobirama had found her by her trail of dead bodies just as much as by her chakra.)

He’d held out both her weapon, and her mother’s.

He’d been covered in sprays of blood, splatters of it dripping from his skin and hair, soaking his _clothes_.

(She’d cursed as she’d remembered that due to his smaller stature, Butsuma had been unable to give him even the smallest of armor without it being far too big.

The Elders had refused to pay for specially-made armor for him when they believed he would just grow out of it in a year. It didn’t matter to them that he likely wouldn’t grow into their armor until he at least his puberty in a _few_ _years_.

She still was pissed that they didn’t see – didn’t care – that he _could die_ before he could fit in the other armor without something to protect him. That the armor would still see use, could protect her younger cousins’ lives when Tobirama had to leave to fight when he did grow into the other armor.)

She took back her own weapon, but left him with her mother’s.

(He must have gone after the shinobi with it first, because he’d seemed to have used it to slaughter the Hagoromo on this compound.

She knew her mother had been avenged ten-fold.

She thought her mother would like her blade to stay with the one that had used it not to slaughter, or avenge, but protect. Her mother would have liked how Tobirama had used it to rescue her.

He deserved to wield it for that.

To remind him that they were weapons, but they could still _choose_ _how_ they were wielded.)

They walked out of the dead compound side-by-side.

(She later asked him why he’d done such a _stupid_ thing as come after her alone.

She’d known that no rescue was coming.

The Elders would not consider her life worth rescuing when she’d gone off on her own.

He’d looked at her, and she’d noticed that, somehow, despite everything, a fine layer of silver hair had stuck to her clothes.

She’d cackled as she’d seen.

He didn’t have to say the words: _You are one of my precious people._

His actions had _more_ than said it.)


	25. Herding Kittens

Like Tōka, Tobirama didn’t live with regrets.

(He had enough of them when thinking of his mother, of Kouki.

He didn’t want more.)

He didn’t regret going to Tōka’s rescue.

(He would never regret doing what he had to, to protect his family.

 _Whatever_ he had to, to _do_ or _be_.

Even if that meant essentially wiping another clan from existence.)

(He hadn’t cared that the Elders wanted him punished for going to Tōka’s rescue.

Most of them he already thought of giant idiots. There really wasn’t much they could do to further lower his opinion of them.

Taka and Ume had apparently called them idiots in his stead though, for thinking he _wouldn’t_ go.

That he’d removed an ally of the Uchiha effectively from the war board, with the only survivors having been on a handful of missions and unaware of who the culprit had been, was the only reason why they hadn’t been punished.)

He _wouldn’t_ regret that he may have outed himself to Izuna.

(He’d visited every day for half a moon after the first signs of spring, for the two weeks after his planned re-meeting of Izuna since the winter.

There had been no Izuna, and he knew Izuna was _alive_ , and on Uchiha territory.

He could also feel Izuna’s uncertainty, his hesitation.

He knew it was because Izuna was trying to decide if he should ignore the _obvious threat_ to his clan to continue their friendship.

He couldn’t begrudge him that – not when he’d thought about _killing_ him _no less than four times_ , just to remove _one more potential_ threat to his family.)

He’d come because he’d managed to convince his father to let both Hashirama and him leave Senju territory for a month, to visit the rumor of the Cat Sage, to learn natural chakra.

(He’d come to the conclusion that Hashirama couldn’t learn any more control until he’d learned how to channel natural chakra. If he could learn how to access and hold himself off, of natural chakra, which required far more concentration and skill, then he could learn how to do the same with his mokouton.

He was aware that it would mean Hashirama would have an unconscious control that would make him an absolute _monster_ on the battlefield, if Hashirama ever chose to actually fight his enemies to death instead of merely disarming and knocking out most of them.

It would be worth it if the giant ball of sunshine would _just stop making trees sprout out everywhere_.

He’d tolerated the random trees popping up everywhere Hashirama lost his focus on controlling his mokouton, until he’d bounded into his make-shift lab while he’d been quickly putting away the more volatile experiments, knocked himself out by getting caught in one of his snares and smashing his head into the ground, and made a _sage-dammit_ giant tree sprout in the middle of the floor and compromise most of his ongoing experiments.

If Tōka hadn’t come running, he might have been one less of a brother.

_Sea-water wasn’t easy to get a hold of when diluted with ice from the frigid north, and the giant puppy had bumped it into the special plant he’d gotten from the desert region that grew twice its size with just drops of water. A plant that had swallowed up a third of his experiments, eagerly growing thanks to Hashirama’s chakra to well beyond what it should have, and knocked half of the remaining experiments into the other half before tearing through the ceiling of his lab._

_It had resulted in him losing every single experiment, as he would have to restart them_ all _._ )

Tōka had _explicit_ instructions to skewer anybody with her ō-naginata if they even _thought_ to take Kawarama on a mission.

(Kawarama was nearly nine now.

Smart, and taking to every weapon he got his hands on like he was born with them in his hands, with a talent in _people skills_ , but if he could have his way, Kawarama would never see battle.

He made him so _proud_ , particularly when he was casually able to throw weapons at minuscule targets that conveniently were close shaves to Elders, and make it look like an accident. _And they would believe him_.

He was in awe at how Kawarama, in the course of a single conversation, could get somebody talking about themselves. In an hour, he would know where you born, how old you were, any family you had, your dreams. _Without them realizing they’d told him everything_.

Then he could casually recount any detail of said conversation later.

He found himself agreeing with Tōka – privately, he’d never tell her so to her face, that would just _encourage_ her – that the people skills he ‘lacked’, Kawarama had gotten _in spades_.)

(He had every intention of shadowing _every_ mission Kawarama took until he was thirty.

Until Kawarama could _catch_ him, and _keep him from following_ , he wouldn’t satisfy himself by simply keeping an eye on his chakra signature, he would _be on his tail and only a short jump away_.)

Itama would stay with Ume.

(Ume had _melted_ when Kawarama had told her solemnly that she was the only Elder they trusted to take care of Itama _properly_ – with the implication that Taka would give him a blade and try and teach him his samurai ways – and keep him _safe_.

Tobirama _could accept_ the probability that the almost-five-year-old would be learning Poison Mistress Ume’s skillset, and that he would now hereafter – because Ume would refuse for it to be otherwise – be learning her subtler skillset than the blunter skillset most shinobi learned.)

(And how to cook – which was one skillset he would _gladly_ have Itama learn from Ume because Hashirama under-seasoned and overcooked, and he tended to undercook, while Kawarama would just _play with fire, regardless of a lack of fire affinity_.

Tōka had refused to let him cook on any mission he took, and made sure anyone on mission with him long enough that they’d need to cook instead of just snacking on rations refused to let him.

The cooks had even refused to let him assist with more than dressing down a kill, giving him dirty looks until he swore to never accept cooking duties, _even if he was the only one physically able to_.

Itama learning to cook meant at least one of them wouldn’t starve if left out in the wilds to fend for himself, in Tōka’s opinion apparently.)

He’d wanted Izuna to know definitively that _he’d known he was an Uchiha, and hadn’t been befriending him for a trick_ , that they’d become friends _for real_.

(He wouldn’t press the issue right now – he, unlike Hashirama, knew when it was best to give people space after a major revelation and shift to their world view – even if it would be simple to go to the edge of Uchiha-neutral territory where Izuna was.

After all, no one had successfully herded a cat that didn’t _want_ to go where _you wanted_ them.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So . . I accidentially went on a tangent about the Senju brothers cooking?


	26. Heirarchy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or, otherwise known as:  
> Hashirama still has no clue (about anything)

Meeting the Sage had gone _nothing_ like Hashirama had been expecting.

She dropped out of a tree directly in front of them, somehow managing to startle _Tobirama_.

(Because she’d not even _registered_ on his senses.)

The little old lady, only a head taller than Tobirama and as tall as Hashirama, with her grey hair pinned back in two buns, had spared him only a glance before _staring at Tobirama_.

Tobirama had told him to stay calm, because she’d focus on him.

(Tobirama had been absolutely certain she’d focus on him.

 _Because his chakra was so bright, it was often hard for him to look away_.

Had lectured him on it almost every hour, to stay _calm._

_To not rush and try to hug her when he saw her._

Tobirama had told him that he had to treat her a bit like the strays, or she wouldn’t even think of training them to draw on natural chakra.)

Tobirama didn’t even blink as they stared at each other, somehow giving the impression that they were circling each other without moving.

Then she suddenly smirked, “So you’re the _little-lord_ everyone has been talking about?”.

(Hashirama had been _SO confused_.

_Little-lord?_

What?

What even was going on right here?)

A lazy smirk had been on his brother’s face, eyes half-lidded as he’d casually leaned back, body appearing to relax completely, “What of it? That weird nickname the summons call me manage to make it all the way out here?”.

She’d laughed, a chortle really, before purring out, “I _like_ you.”, relaxing herself, “I can see why my babies call you _little-lord_.”.

(Hashirama had no idea what was going on?

The Sage acted like her summons, kind-of.

He had _no idea_ why she was so _amused_ at his brother.)


	27. Not a Common Breed

Tora had known the two little Senju were on their way to see her well before the two knew she was there.

While the one’s ridiculous _bright and massive_ chakra would have normally drawn and held her attention to the exclusion of the other one, something about the smaller one’s chakra had been familiar.

She’d chosen to make herself known to them, because both of their chakra was speckled with natural chakra.

(It was dangerous for someone who’d already accessed it on their own, _by accident_ like she suspected they had, to go untrained for long.

Physical mutations were the best of the consequences.

Turning into their natural element wasn’t even the worst.

With the chakra they had even at their age, she knew the one could turn the desert into a forest and the other could create a desert or a new sea depending on how he went.

She didn’t want to think of the possibility the one could create a tsunami if pressed intentionally.)

Bowl-cut was like a giant puppy, all smiles and _please, can you teach us?_

Silver-hair just watched, lounging back as he watched her like she watched him.

Her smile had been sharp as she’d realized that he was destined for the summons that was her babies’ bigger, wilder cousins.

(He had all the personality markings for it.

His coloring was even right.)

It made her _like_ him.


	28. Aloof

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuna, while the cat's away ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Miray, you asked, so it has been received and sent forth.

Izuna went to the river once a month after the first signs of spring had come and gone.

(He’d known that Tobirama would come at the first signs, but had said nothing to his father.

He knew he’d had the chance to further his father’s war and earn his pride.

He didn’t regret it.)

He’d known that Tobirama wouldn’t come this long after, but a part of him hoped.

(He’d been upset at first about how he’d missed all the signs.

_They’d both known that he’d been an Uchiha._

_Tobirama had watched far too carefully, gone still too many times with_ intent _, for their clans to be anything but enemies._

 _He’d just wanted a friend outside of his brothers so much that he’d willfully ignored those moments when Tobirama hadn’t moved to strike._ )

(Then he’d been angry.

 _He’d wanted to punch the bastard in the face for knowing and being his friend anyway_.

 _He’d wanted to be_ angry _like Madara and Kei for once, and_ not hold onto _this anger_.)

(Then he’d hoped.

 _Tobirama had_ let _him close, had at times, slept right next to him, slept on him._

 _Tobirama had known, and even if it could be construed as arrogance that he_ couldn’t _kill him, he’d still let his clan’s enemy closer than any shinobi would do outside of a mission._

 _A shinobi with sensing capabilities like the Senju Sensor, didn’t_ need _a mission to befriend him if he wanted to strike at the Uchiha compound – not unless he was a complete_ bastard _, but Tobirama was more of an asshole than a real bastard._

_Tobirama had known, and he’d lent his aid over the recent hard winter, without it being asked._

_He’d gone above and beyond what even a war ally would do without it being requested._

_He deserved the benefit of the doubt until he could confront him about this_.)

He couldn’t be disappointed when he’d known that Tobirama wouldn’t be there.

( _He_ wouldn’t have come if this long of a silence had gone on.)

It didn’t matter that he’d _wanted_ Tobirama to sense him, and come.

(He wasn’t there, so he’d take that-)

Izuna saw two trees on his side of the river carved with doors, and started inspecting the one in-between.

(Tobirama had left him a message, even despite his silence, and he _hoped_ it meant what he thought.)

Pulling out a scroll from a small hollow, he read the short message.

( _Gone for training, for the duration of a month. No moon last night.)_

He’d started smiling despite himself, pleased, when an earlier thought lent new ones.

“THAT _ASSHOLE!_ HE STRIPPED AND WAS LOUNGING IN WATER KNOWING I WAS COMING!”

Then something clicked.

“THAT _FUCKER!_ I GOT HIT WITH THOSE ROCKS ON PURPOSE!!”

(It was _on_ now.

He wouldn’t let that go without retaliation.

The friendly kind, of course.

Maybe a rock to _his_ face, to begin?)


	29. Lay-About With the Sunshine

Tobirama, unlike his brother who had been taking to channeling natural chakra with ease, was struggling.

(He was sure that it had to do with how difficult it was to keep earth and water chakra in sync, and that he’d managed it instinctively, was easing his way.)

(Struggling with a chakra concept wasn’t familiar territory for him.

He didn’t always get something right away, but he typically kept at it until he did.

Fire jutsu were his anti-thesis, and completely against his affinity, but even that he’d managed.

Because Kawarama loved fire, and he wouldn’t teach him something that would backfire completely if it went against an affinity.)

It was both easier and harder than he’d expected it to be.

(Easier because once he’d recognized natural chakra as _natural chakra_ , it had been easy to grasp at the threads of it all around him.)

(Harder because it would slip through his fingers, and nothing he did seemed to hold it within him.

He was getting frustrated because he could hear Tōka laughing in his ear at the irony that it was acting like _water_ to everyone else, when ever since he’d learned his affinity, water had never given _him_ problems.)

The fact that Tora would _stare at him_ while he tried meditating to collect natural chakra _intentionally_ , was frustrating because she would just casually slap a tag to Hashirama whenever he lost control of his natural chakra without a single glance.

(He didn’t like that she could pull one of _his_ favorite tactics, only he would shove his brother into the conveniently located stream leading down to a waterfall if he’d failed to teach Hashirama for the twelfth time.

If it wouldn’t be childish, he would pull the water from the stream beneath his brother so that he was quickly sitting in a big pile of mud.

Finding that Hashirama had somehow managed to sprout a tree in the middle of the night, with all their provisions getting stuck in one of the highest branches as it had grown, had been _irritating_.

He would be spiteful, and sink his brother in a pile of mud, _later once he succeeded_ , because he wasn’t above that.)

He wasn’t prepared for his efforts to work.

( _Everything was so bright, so **bright**._

 _Sunshine. Sunshine drifting between the leaves of the tallest tree-_ )

(He didn’t realize when his hands had clawed, nails like pinpricks against his skin, drawing blood, trying to not leap forward to the _sunshine_.

Some part of him still knew _who_ the sunshine was.

Some part still knew that he’d try to take that _liquid sunshine_ for himself. Tear it out of the _tree_.)

(Tora slapped a tag to his chest, pinning him to the ground as she screamed at Hashirama to _run_ , aware of how close the veneer of being _human_ had come to being torn away from Tobirama.

Already she could see the consequences etching themselves on his body.

The tears of blood even as he cried out for _onii-san_ , weakly clawing at the air, _bring back the sunshine!_

She’d feared that it’d be too much – a Sensor was already far more attuned to chakra than most, and natural chakra could make even the blindest shinobi a Sensor, and natural chakra just multiplied a natural Sensor tenfold.

She hated being right in this case.)


	30. Predator

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Solely based on how Hashirama and Tobirama's relationship was always a little . . off . . when looked at.  
> The honorific Tobirama uses for Hashirama, is incredibly formal when listened to in the subbed anime. There was something broken between them. This is alluding to that, only as the canonical scene at the river between the two families never happened here . . it developed in other ways.

Hashirama looked at his brother, and nearly couldn’t recognize him.

(Tobirama had always been _wild_ , a _predator_ that even shinobi respected.

It hadn’t matter that he’d been in a child’s body to them. They knew natural talent no matter its form.)

The _wild_ was visible in a way it hadn’t been before.

(There was no hiding this.

No hiding the way his hair thickened, lengthened, appeared just like the animal pelt around his shoulders.

No hiding the slit pupils.

No hiding the reflective sheen in the dull red - the blood red – of his eyes.

No hiding the sharp teeth.

No hiding sharp little points to his nails.

No hiding the dangerous air about him.

He forgot genjutsu.

He could think of how he would forevermore _only_ think of him _looking like this._ )

He looked like their mother.

(Tobirama had _always_ looked like their mother.

Now, he looked like Hatake Kyoko in her prime.

The Wolf Queen that he’d heard whispered about amongst the clan with fear and awe.)

There was a violence and a grace that had always been there.

Tobirama hadn’t so much hidden it as let it be played off as tricks of the light, tricks of the dark.

Now, there was no mistaking that he was a _danger_.

(He _knew_ that Tobirama would never harm their siblings, would never harm a _child_ if Tobirama had his way _,_ but Tobirama had also made it clear that he wouldn’t hesitate to strike against children if they posed a threat.

He’d _proved_ it with the Hagoromo.)

(He didn’t know that the youngest of that clan had been spared.

A clever genjutsu had been left to convince anyone who found the compound that they were all dead. While the children had been fostered out to families in the area, and too young to remember a life as anything but that.)

Even as he watched him layer after layer of low-drain genjutsu over himself to hide all the changes but one – the red stripes denoting his being in Sage mode – he couldn’t forget what he’d seen.

(Tobirama was a wild thing.

Instrumental in creating peace if utilized correctly.

Dangerous even so.)

(He thought Tobirama had come to learn something to be a better shinobi. A better killer.

He forgot that Tobirama loved to learn new things, no matter what it was.

He didn’t know that if he hadn’t come, Tobirama would likely have died in the next year or so from his own natural chakra.

He didn’t know that Tobirama had come along because he feared the consequences of Hashirama being unable to learn control, feared what would happen if he ran across one of their enemies while stumbling across the countryside to the Sage. Had come along because he _had to_ be prepared if Kawarama or Itama showed similar signs as Hashirama had in retrospect.)

(He couldn’t see the smallest of fractures that had formed in his bond with Tobirama, made by Tobirama’s thoughts of the possibility Hashirama had willfully neglected to learn how to utilize his healing chakra and therefore failed to save their mother, that Hashirama had refused to see how Kouki had been suicidal, grow.

Due to his own thoughts that Tobirama would in the future threaten the peace he so craved.

Ignored all the signs that Tobirama would _give anything_ for their siblings to live in the envisioned peace.)

He turned away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It does get better, I promise.  
> I didn't mean for this to get so angsty, but, well, it has to get worse before it gets better? You can't fix what's broken if you don't know it is.  
> I do resolve it, it DOES get better.
> 
> Also, inspired by the tumblr post I saw regarding Tobirama's facial tattoos and senjutsu. Those that know of it, will already know what I'm implying.  
> Those that have seen the post responding to it regarding its permanence will also likely know where I'm going with that.


	31. Standoff-ish

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of Tobirama's take on the events of the previous chapter.
> 
>  
> 
> The honorific Tobirama uses, 'aniue' is - or supposed to be - an extremely archaic and formal way of saying 'Elder brother', used to express the distance growing between them.

Tobirama knew immediately that his brother was distancing himself from him.

(He knew why.

He could see it in the flickers of fear in his brother’s eyes as he thought of peace when he was in sight.)

He wanted to reach across the abyss opening up between them.

(He didn’t know how.

‘People skills’ as Tōka called it, were _not_ something he was good at.

 _Hashirama_ was. _Kawarama_ was.

He didn’t know how to address the flickers of horror and disappointment in his brother’s eyes when he talked to him.

 _Was he supposed to ask what he could do to make Hashirama not fear him?_ )

He wanted to show him that he was no threat to his peace.

(He resolved to do his best and not let the distance grow on his end.

Even if he knew that it would, regardless of his intent.

His mind found flaws faster than he could stop them.

His brother’s willful oblivion and inability to see what was right in front of him when focused on the big picture was his bane.

He hated that Hashirama thought he couldn’t trust him to meet Madara. Hated that he would smile and laugh with Kawarama and Itama one day, then ignore them the rest of the week unless he pushed them in his face.)

He thought that maybe, suggesting to their father about an alliance to the Uzumaki would be good.

_A marriage with a headstrong, take-no-shit Uzumaki would do his aniue good._

(Their sister clan were down to earth in a way the Senju hadn’t been in a long time.

Family was _everything_ to Uzumaki. They looked at reality and would make _reality_ move if it stood in their way to what was important to them.)

(An Uzumaki would be the best candidate for an alliance made out of marriage, as they were already on amicable terms, if he wanted his brother’s marriage to become a love match.

His father would consider it very advantageous, as seals were one of the few things the sharingan could not copy, and the Uzumaki were masters of them.)

(He just wanted someone to do what he couldn’t; remind his brother that peace was nothing without family.

He didn’t dare think about whether his brother could _love_ , or _trust_ , him unconditionally again as he had before.

 _He knew he wouldn’t like the answer_.)


	32. Taunt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Also known as:  
> Unlike everyone else, Madara thinks Tobirama is an ACTUAL cat until informed otherwise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, something amusing to soothe the hearts I broke in the last two chapters?

Madara had been rushing back to Uchiha territory after a short mission, when he had seen bits of _familiar_ silver hair floating in the air.

(Izuna _still_ found it hysterical that silver hair had managed to get on everything he owned.

Despite it being _weeks_ since the last time he’d picked up a rabbit from Izuna’s ‘secret friend’.

The little _bastard_ smirked every time he pulled one of him.)

His eyes had narrowed, intending to _catch that damn cat and shave it._

(Izuna would call him spiteful.

But he knew, _knew_ the little shit of a cat _knew_ about the shed hair and how it _clung_ to his things.

A few weeks of being _completely incapable_ of shedding that fur everywhere would be suiting.)

(If it wasn’t a cat, he’d probably kill it and bring it back for dinner for the shedding.

If it hadn’t helped keep his brothers fed over the hard winter, he would do worse than shave it for the irritation.

He would regret it later, because he wasn’t _cruel_ , but he had a temper.

Unlike Izuna, who could hold a grudge forever, smile and say nothing while planning on how to kill you, his temper flared up fast, and was over just as fast, then it was bygones. Few things – people – pissed him off repeatedly.

The _damn_ cat didn’t.

He’d just been unnaturally holding onto his anger. Unable to yell in its face or beat it to a pulp.

He didn’t do well with anger he couldn’t express.

Kei had called him stupid for it, and Jun had given that sweet smile that had reminded him that _he_ was just like Izuna and he was toeing the line of irritating _Jun_. And Jun would proceed to collect _every single damn hair_ still drifting about on his things, and make _sure_ that there would _always_ be a little on his things no matter what he did.

 _Jun_ was vindictive.

 _He_ was just _spiteful_. He could acknowledge that.)

He went in the direction the hair came from, quickly sensing a chakra signature over there.

(He’d faltered for a moment at how it was too _large_ to be _just_ a cat, even the biggest breed.

He wasn’t _afraid_ though, just wary now as he’d gripped a kunai and let his eyes bleed red while he kept moving forward.)

He was not prepared for what he saw.

(Permanently etched in his memories as his sharingan had activated, one tomoe spinning rapidly in his shock.)

(He would insist that _anyone_ would be shocked.

If he ever told anyone.

Red steadily climbed from just dusting his cheeks to the tips of his ears, every time he even thought _vaguely_ of _it_ , and he cursed the pale Uchiha complexion.)

A teen, on the younger side, being only a few years younger than his sixteen, had been rolling around in the tall grass. It looked like he’d been running the strands through his fingers, a self-satisfied look on his pale – and he meant _pale_ , somehow, he was _paler_ than _him_ , made only more potent so by the vibrant red on his cheeks and chin – face.

(Tobirama had been quite pleased to be closer to home after a mildly disastrous month with the Cat Sage, and to see that the last of the snow had _finally_ melted.

He’d just _had to_ roll about in the new grass in celebration.

It was also where he’d decided to conveniently wait for his brother to catch up after darting ahead earlier to escape the tension he didn’t know how to disperse.)

His blood red eyes hadn’t even flicked his way – but he couldn’t think the other teen was _unaware_ of him – radiating a lack of concern as he rolled on his stomach, stretched _with his ass in the air_ , then stood.

He’d gone as red as his eyes when the _little shit_ , with a smirk, casually started stripping.

(Tobirama had _known_ the water was there, but had been debating whether the water was _anywhere_ near warm enough.

He’d ultimately decided _he didn’t care_ as long as it wasn’t _actively_ frozen.)

His eyes were wide as he caught _more than a little_ flash of pale skin, before the teen had leaped into the _freezing_ water with a graceful splash.

The splash had had him moving, coming out from the trees to the river’s edge.

(Izuna would roll his eyes at how Madara couldn’t help but get involved when his _brotherly_ instincts were triggered. Regardless of who it was, and if he even knew them.

Kei just called it like it was: _Nii-san is a motherly busy-body_.)

(Tobirama just casually swam in the little river, somewhere between amused and exasperated at the squawking teen.

_What are you thinking?! Winter JUST ended! The water is still Sage-fuck cold!_

_And where’s your Sage-damn decency?! Stripping?! WHY DID YOU STRIP??!_

He wasn’t even really paying attention – he’d heard most of that from his brother, if less vulgar, even if he was _deeply_ amused to see Madara blushed when embarrassed.

Though that the other teen was flailing and squawking mostly over how he’d _stripped_ was something _new_.

He hadn’t thought there were any shinobi capable of being embarrassed at nudity. He’d thought his brother an anomaly. And Izuna’s fluster at how he’d more than once found him swimming like this in their river, unrelated.

To see that he’d been _wrong_ , opened up a whole new avenue of amusement.

Izuna wouldn’t know what hit him.

 _He would have so much fun teasing Uchiha._ )

Madara caught off mid-sentence when after he saw the teen catch a fish with a quick snatch of his hand, looking _pleased_ with himself – he thought maybe for not floundering as he did so – the fish was suddenly _sliding down his face._

There was a moment of heavy silence as the fish wiggled and flopped in the air on the way to the ground.

The fact that the teen was _smirking_ might have been set off Madara’s temper with a mighty flame to the gunpowder.

(Tobirama was _very_ amused at how Madara was _very_ quickly, once again, squawking and flailing, bright red, yelling at him - _WHAT THE FUCK!?_ – yet _couldn’t look at him._ Because he was naked.

He wouldn’t take the verbal onslaught quietly though.

He insulted Madara – _I didn’t take you for a virgin princess_ – and watched the steam almost _literally_ rise off him.

It amused him _greatly_.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Be prepared, I accidentally wandered down a hole of plot and angst trying to resolve the Hashirama & Tobirama situation. Essentially the next several - I wanted to say six or seven, I have one, maybe two more, before the BIG angst I dug up in the next chapter, is concluded.  
> Best I can say? The ending piece of the angst is Uchiha screaming insults at our favorite Bowl-Cut regarding his treatment of Tobirama.


	33. Beasts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry.  
> Happy times are not ahead, but the fates of the younger brothers are to be determined in the following chapters.
> 
> However, this is the beginning of resolving of the Hashirama & Tobirama mess.

Tōka greeted him on the edge of the neutral territory.

(After he’d left Madara, he’d decided to meet Hashirama half-way.

Something about him still being damp, amused after having turned an Uchiha into a steaming tomato, softened Hashirama.

It reminded Hashirama that Tobirama _could_ be a threat to his peace, but he was still _his little brother_.

They’d traveled together again, no longer as tense even if things hadn’t been cleared up completely between them, until Senju territory once again came within his range.

That Kawarama’s chakra was so low, nearly gone, had him seeing _red_.

He’d left Hashirama behind in a flash, a terrible rumbling snarl making him bare his teeth and drop his genjutsu, and _sprint_ back home.

Hashirama following as fast as he was able behind him.)

His eyes were wild, and whatever veneer that made him pass as human as the rest of them – or as human as people regularly called _demon_ could be – was _gone_.

In his place was a beast that was not _angry_ , but _enraged_.

(He wanted to drink the blood of whatever foolish being had hurt his little brother to fuel this madness.

He wanted to display the body of the bastard as a warning that this was _intolerable_.)

Tōka had come not to plead leniency, but to remind him that anger could wait – _Kawarama was still alive_.

(She told them as they ran, that a couple of the elders had ignored her words about Kawarama not going on missions.

Butsuma had tried to get them to send the boy on the simplest mission, a courier mission, if they refused to see sense. He’d understood, that even if he was _deeply_ against Kawarama or Itama going on a mission until their mother would have approved, that Tobirama’s rage would be a thing to behold.

He’d understood that Tobirama would have no qualms about killing threats to family.

He was a lot of things, but Hashirama wasn’t quite to be head of the family, even if Tobirama helped, so he couldn’t die quite yet. No matter how much he wanted this fighting done.

Taka’s words had been outright ignored; _he’s just a child!_

Ume had _seethed_ and threatened to poison the whole lot of them if they tried that with Itama, recognizing that they wouldn’t listen to her about Kawarama.

Kawarama who was old enough, strong enough, that if Kyoko hadn’t forbidden it with her marriage about children fighting, the Senju would have already sent him into battle.

Tōka had sneered as she told him that they’d forgotten that they housed beasts amongst their forests.)

They hadn’t slowed a bit for the patrols, blowing past those told to stop him.

(Elders afraid of the wrath of a Hatake in all but name once it had occurred to them what Kawarama’s death would mean beyond what they wanted.)

Tōka had used her ō-naginata to sweep them aside when they tried.

(Her grin had been just as sharp and feral as his.

The Clan had forgotten that Kyoko had made her mother a Hatake in all but blood. The Wild had been strong in the former civilian married to their leader’s younger brother – was _strong_ in their child.

Tōka was _dangerous_ just as Tobirama was. They just typically attributed it to normal _shinobi_ dangerous.)

They’d blown right into the compound, leaking killing intent everywhere, but Tobirama’s eyes had only been for his brothers.

Itama had been crying, sobbing, as he ran out from Ume’s arm to him, pleading _save Kawarama-nii-san!_

(He’d left Tōka to round up those that had forgotten he was _not_ _merely_ a shinobi, but a _predator_.

Itama dragged him to where his feet were leading him, to where he could hear Kawarama’s breath rattle in his lungs, a shallow little thing that was all but done.)

(He’d had to dial back his killing intent, as he saw it was _hurting_ Kawarama.

Saw his breathes ease a little, even if they were still far too shallow, still rattled.)

He was kneeling next to Kawarama, hands over his chest and the grievous wound there.

(A thousand slices. Tens of burns. A gouge into stomach. A stab nearly in his lung.

Even as he seethed at the pain given to his precious little brother, he’d been proud.

Proud that Kawarama had made things difficult for his attackers. He’d made them _fight_ to wound him.

He would bet that at least some had fallen to his brother’s weapons.

He was proud that despite his wounds, he’d clung to life for so long. He knew that the stab should have _killed_ him in a matter of a few short _hours_ , yet he’d lived for nearly a _day_ after.

He hated himself for not being _aware_ of his brother’s peril. For not getting to him _faster_.)

His hands had glowed with a green chakra, brighter than ever before as he pulled on natural chakra despite the risks to himself.

(Tora had told him before he left, that if he pressed for too much natural chakra, more than the little he couldn’t seem to shut off from himself, that he risked _worse_ consequences than he already faced.

She’d warned him that he risked becoming a typhoon, a tsunami.

He’d risk it to keep Kawarama alive.

To keep his _family_ alive.)

His marks were like fire on his skin, growing, extending, branching out like the curl of the waves to around his eyes, down his neck. Twisting and turning and lapping its way down his limbs.

His eyes had glowed with an inner fire even as breathe fogged the air, and a soft mist coiled around the room out from him.

His hands pushed his chakra into Kawarama’s body and tried to heal the worst of his wounds, using the natural chakra to supplement his own, to draw out every dreg of chakra he had beyond what his reserves were.

(He could feel his form waver, the thickening mist less clinging to him, and more that he was losing the edge between being a solid being and a liquid one.

If he pressed further, he knew not only would the last dregs of his chakra be gone, but he’d become what Tora had feared.

A storm made from flesh and chakra that would wipe out their part of the continent.

He would risk it as his numb hands stumbled through the signs that best suited his purpose, creating a jutsu on the fly.)

He could feel it begin to work, even as his chakra started to flicker out, and his hold on his natural chakra fade.

(He was blinded for a moment by the _sunshine drifting through the leaves of the tallest trees_ -, before cutting off the chakra leading to his sight, dimming his sensory abilities to his physical sight alone despite the unnaturalness of the action as to not blind himself permanently, to see _Hashirama_.

Hashirama, who looked deadly serious, a darkness cast on his face and in his eyes a look that was _not_ inclined to mercy.

Hashirama, who laid his hands on his _take my chakra, take as much as you need, Tobirama_ before giving a wan smile _I guess I’m useless here except as a source of chakra, because I ignored your words about training in iryō-ninjutsu_.)

Hashirama’s chakra was dense, as heavy as the limbs of the trees he grew, flourishing where his was failing by virtual of not slipping through his hands unhindered like water, as it was fed to Kawarama through him.

Hashirama, who gave _every_ _bit_ of chakra that he could channel, with no regard to his own life if he gave the _last_ dreg.

(His brother was many things – _idiot, ball of sunshine, goof, a monster of chakra at his fingertips_ – but he was first, and foremost, _their elder brother_.

His love for _them_ was _never_ in doubt.

Even if his trust in him had been.)

Kawarama gasped.

Cleanly, deeply.

His body whole again.

(Even as they fell unconscious from the effort.

Exhausted, drained.)


	34. Eight Lives Left

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit more of the angst.

When he awoke, he could feel the effects of the jutsu he had made.

(He had offered his life in exchange for Kawarama.

Giving not just his chakra, or the natural chakra he could pull, but his _life-force_.

He’d been willing to give it _all_ for his brother to _live_.

It had been luck that the jutsu only took what was needed to speed Kawarama’s healing.

Luck that while his life-force tethered Kawarama to life, Hashirama’s could heal the wounds.)

His hands ached. His body was heavy.

He felt old.

(He knew that he’d shaved off years from his life for Kawarama.

He resolved to never tell anyone of what he’d done, even as he decided that he would refine it.

It was not a tool that he could throw away willingly.

Not when the threat of war remained.)

His chakra was low.

The growling of his stomach was loud in the quiet.

But he did not take the food waiting for him immediately.

(He swore the healer at his bedside to silence about his new jutsu, knowing that it would be forbidden by Hashirama, and exploited by many of the Elders, if it was known.

The healer swore, warning him that he’d come close to death himself in his crusade.

That he _would have_ died because healers regularly fought death when they tried to save a life, but this jutsu tipped the balance and stole a soul from Death himself when by all rights it should have gone to the Pure Land, by _offering himself in exchange_.)

He was left with his thoughts as he ate.

(The healer had given him an idea.

He would walk that barrier between Life and Death, and find whatever was necessary to keep Death away from his family.

He would look for a way to bring the dead back if it was too late for this new jutsu of his.

_If he hadn’t shown up when he had, Kawarama would have died._

_Itama could have died in the renewed fighting – because those burns had been made by the Uchiha’s fire, and the Elders would have demanded retribution. Had_ wanted _retribution to bring renewed fighting._ )

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm totally convinced that the jutsu Chiyo uses to revive Gaara would be something Tobirama created.  
> It certainly fits that theme he has with forbidden jutsu walking all over the line between life and death, with sacrifice of life.


	35. Seven Lives Left

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, got a bit side-tracked in posting the last couple of days.  
> Did a bit of binge-watching of Doctor Who over labour day weekend. 11 is hysterical.
> 
> Nearly have the last of the angst written out - some chapters ahead - I'll say it won't be happy, wrong word here without getting crack-ish, but I believe something closer to satisfied? Content?, and that the worst is over.

As he quickly polished off one grilled fish to reach for another, a thought occurred to him once acute chakra exhaustion no longer fogged his mind.

(The Uchiha were fewer than the Senju, worn just as hard as they were by their constant war.

And they had no Kyoko to force them to abandon child soldiers.

Izuna’s brothers were older than Kawarama, but still children.

And there was no more Kyoko to make sure that any Senju didn’t kill the child soldiers of the Uchiha.

He could quite easily imagine that the Uchiha had attacked Kawarama – when before he’d left, there had been an unofficial truce, a lull in the fighting, as they’d been more-or-less ignoring each other if they each kept to their side of the neutral territory, and were not pitted each other on missions – because an idiot had killed an Uchiha child.

He feared that the Uchiha child could be one of the four sons of Tajima.)

He pushed himself past what was advisable, and _reached_.

(Looking for the four familiar signatures.

Trying to find Madara, Kei, Jun, Izuna.)

(He didn’t think he had the chakra to pull off another death-defying healing like he had with Kawarama.

But he would try.

He had to.)

He fled from the compound even as he took his remaining fish with him, one grasped between his teeth while telling Tōka that he would be back soon.

(Her grin had been _mean_ as she’d agreed, having refused to leave her post at corralling the Elders responsible for sending Kawarama on a mission _on the other side of Uchiha territory_ in their rooms.)

(It had occurred to him that there was a weak chakra signatures near Madara’s and Izuna’s  and another Uchiha’s frantic ones.

Nearly dead.

He hadn’t met this Uchiha, couldn’t put a name or face to the chakra, but he _knew_ it was Kei or Jun.)

He cursed as he pushed himself faster, not even more than a pale blur as he ran to the edges of Senju territory, and through neutral territory.

(He didn’t want to imagine what would happen if Kei or Jun died.

Madara, a monster of chakra in his own right and perhaps one of the few people who could eventually rival his brother, would be _enraged_.

Izuna, who he was sure would be his equal if they ever were to fight, would be _terrifying_. Particularly considering that unlike his hothead of a brother, when he wanted, he planned and strategized even when on the fly to a _fearsome_ degree, and would do his damnedest to wipe out every Senju in his grief. It was what he would after all if in his position, and they were more alike than not.

And neither would have the inclination for mercy to a Senju.

He didn’t want to kill his friend, or his brother’s chance for peace between their clans, because of _stupid war-mongering adults_.)

He pulled his chakra close as he neared Uchiha territory, less caring if he managed to escape this undetected as he was determined to get to the four brothers without being stopped.

(He didn’t think about the consequences about him ducking and weaving through Uchiha territory, dodging out of the sensing range of patrols.

That this was proof that he could run a raid against them in their home territory and strike at the heart.

He didn’t dare to.)

(Instead, he tried to reach that state of inner peace that was his best bet at successfully channeling natural chakra to help supplement his own low levels.

There would be no Hashirama here, so he needed a massive amount of chakra if he wanted to try and heal wounds trained healers would call hopeless, and would need to use every bit of control to cover how he didn’t have that natural healing ability.

The jutsu would be useless if the wounds didn’t heal, but it _could_ be used to tether the dying to the living long enough the wounds _could_ be healed _enough_ they were no longer life-threatening.)

He slipped into the very heart of the Uchiha compound, relying on natural skill to escape notice than risk any use of chakra to catch the notice of any sharingan nearby.

(If the situation was less serious, he might have taunted Izuna with his signature carving in his room and a shedding of hair on his and Madara’s beds.

Because unlike what he’d led Tōka to believe, he _was_ well-aware that he shed everywhere, and was not above purposely directing some of that shedding. He could be a bit petty like that.

Just to hear Izuna and Madara blow their tops at how _that damn bastard is taunting us!_ )

He slipped into the room the four Uchiha brothers were in near-silently.

(By that point, his hands shook slightly from the exertion he’d done getting there when he’d already been still exhausted from saving Kawarama, and the door had rattled slightly while he’d closed it.)

Three sets of red eyes, two with tomoe spinning wildly, snapped his way.

Izuna’s voice was a snarl, “ _You Senju bastard! You dare show yourself here?! Now?!_ ”.

(Izuna was angry at the Senju, yes, because his brother was _dying_ and _there was nothing they could do,_ because of _them_.

But he wasn’t angry at _Tobirama_.

He just couldn’t understand why he would dare come there, when his older brother was _dying_ because of a _Senju_ , one of _his clansmen_.

He _had to_ know he _would die_ if he was caught.)

Madara was launching himself across the room after _Senju_ , putting himself between Tobirama and Izuna and Jun, and the dying Kei, slamming one fore-arm across the other’s vulnerable neck, kunai to his stomach, “ _Senju?_ You’re a damn _Senju?!_ Were you the one to do this to Kei! Come here to finish the job?!”.

Tobirama knew the risk he was taking, meeting Madara’s rapidly spinning twin tomoe, tense at how every instinct he had, was _screaming_ to knock the kunai aside, slam a knee up between Madara’s legs, then bring an elbow down hard on his neck to knock him out, “Yes. No. No. I came to help.”.

His eyes thinned, all but glaring back, “ _Absolutely fucking stupid_ adults caused this mess. Kaa-san isn’t here to keep them in line, and I was away so I couldn’t kick their asses for thinking about continuing the practice of _child-hunting_ for her. They knew that, and took advantage of that. Then, because _stupidity_ starts at the top, the elders who’d encouraged this, sent _my_ little brother near _your_ lands _just so the Uchiha would kill him_.”, sneering viciously, “They just didn’t account for the lengths I would risk myself to save him.”.

With his full set of red marks and chakra mutations visible without a genjutsu to hide them, he looked particularly _fierce_ as he sneered, “They didn’t account for how far I’m willing to go to ensure onii-sama’s Dream of Peace can still exist.”.

He knocked aside Madara’s weapon and brushed his arm away while he was stunned at Tobirama’s statement, his sharingan still spinning rapidly as he tried to gauge the truth of his words.

Tobirama took that opportunity of inaction to move past him, kneeling beside the still wet-cheeked Jun and channeling healing chakra to his hands as he lay them on Kei’s chest.

(Kei was dying.

He clung on by sheer will.

Like Kawarama had.

He had thousands of slices. His right leg was broken in so many places he wasn’t sure if he’d ever walk right again. Three of his ribs were shattered, pieces lodged in organs for a slow bleed inside.

It was the gouge across his gut, showing his innards despite the healers’ attempts to put them all back inside, that was killing him fastest.)

(He was focused in a way he hadn’t been when it had been Kawarama’s life on the line, a cold rage sitting heavy in his chest.

Kyoko would have _slaughtered_ everyone responsible for this situation already, and it was why no one had done this until _after_ she was dead. The Uchiha had surely taken advantage of that, taking the measure of peace and using it to have their youngest run missions with the assurance that they would come back if met by Senju. It honestly might have been what had infuriated the elders to the point of doing this the _instant_ he was away and out of range.

He would be _taking care_ of that shortly.)

(He focused intently, ignoring the cold sweat that broke out on his skin as he tried to channel thin amounts of chakra into procedures no one had done before, to heal even a fraction of the wounds. Working under the stress that even with the natural chakra he’d gathered he wouldn’t have enough chakra and he had to completely take care of the worst threats to Kei’s life, or it would just be a slower death. Working under the stress of having to keep the natural chakra from mutating Kei where Hashirama’s chakra had healed the little that he’d accidentally caused in Kawarama, and _still_ hold his form or risk becoming what Tora had feared.)

His hands shook and an unnatural pallor was to his skin while he worked past the exhaustion and painful beat of his heart, of running afoul of acute chakra exhaustion twice in such a short time span.

His hands shakily moved through the signs for his new jutsu, breath escaping in a harsh gasp when he felt the tug on his life-force tethering the nearly gone Kei to _life_.

A second pair of hands – so warm that they nearly burned his icy fingers as all warmth fled him while straddling the line between life and death for this jutsu – caught his when he tried to push _just a little more_ of his chakra to Kei’s wounds.

Madara held his gaze, eyes dark as the sky on a moonless night once more, and fed him his own chakra, giving him enough of a second wind that wounds sealed and bones glued back together.

(He passed out again as Madara said, “ _Thank you_ ,”.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Didn't even mean to watch it either, my Uncle is incapable of having the tv off when awake and because there's only so much youtube videos I can't take that aren't music, I suggested Doctor Who for BACKGROUND NOISE. I liked 9, disliked Rose's voice so I couldn't watch more than an episode, thought I could just not pay attention.  
> I was wrong, so wrong. It sucked me in, and I spent the rest of the day into the wee hours of the next morning watching until I literally couldn't stay awake, slept, then went back at it until about an hour ago. Series 6, episode 3/4 is where I'm at.


	36. Guilt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have written the end for this angst! Not this chapter, actually several ahead, but it IS written!
> 
> Not as much yelling by Uchiha as I'd originally planned it, but it'll happen in another chapter. (Probably during a proper meeting with the Senju and Uchiha brothers.) Instead, we have more of the Uchiha-taunting! Yes, there is angst to go, but it WILL get better.  
> I wanted you nice people to know this, to soften the blow of my angsty-drabbles in the next several chapters.

Butsuma glared at the elders who’d nearly sentenced Kawarama to death because they _wished_ for war.

Glared at the distant cousins Kyoko had urged him to get rid of somewhere, who had caused this mess for attacking and killing one of Tajima’s younger sons.

(Tōka guarded the only way out of this room with a truly _fearsome_ smile on her face, an anger and grief in her eyes that _scared_ anyone who had tried to force their way out.

He didn’t know why she was grieving.

He suspected though, because she was here and not at the bedside of his second son.

He didn’t want to check to see if that was it, because he’d trained one son too well.

Taught him too well to sacrifice his life for his brothers’.

He didn’t want to know if Tobirama had given everything he _was_ , to save Kawarama because he hadn’t been able to keep the younger boy out of the grasp of war-mongering elders.)

Glared them into preparing for the battle they’d so _desperately_ wanted.

(He would lead them into a fight with the Uchiha.

The Uchiha would be baying for blood after the death of a child, their sharingan fueled by their loss beyond their evenly matched skills for an advantage.

It was suicide to go against them now.)

(He would do this so that his surviving sons didn’t have to deal with shinobi scheming against them for open warfare against the Uchiha again.

It was the least he owed Kyoko and Tobirama.)

He wouldn’t go alone though – Taka would come with him, had said it was the least he owed Daisuke for not stopping the death of his grandson on top of the failures of the deaths of the rest of his dead friend’s sons.


	37. Big Brother

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angry Madara is angry.

Madara had frozen when Tobirama had passed out the instant Kei’s wounds had healed from _going-to-die-no-one-can-save-him_ to _he’ll-live-he’ll-LIVE_.

He’d caught him before he could face-plant over where his hands were atop the still icy fingers, but he didn’t know what to do.

(He’s a _Senju_.

They’d nearly _killed_ Kei.)

(He was _Tobirama_.

His brother’s best friend outside his brothers and little cousin.

He’d _saved_ their lives over the winter.

 _His_ friend’s little brother.)

He may not have understood everything that Tobirama had done, but his sharingan had copied it _all_.

(He’d recognized the chakra exhaustion he’d come in.

Recognized that he’d run there right after he’d suffered it and woken up.

Recognized the chakra control necessary for iryō-ninjutsu, and that even still, he shouldn’t have been able to heal more than a nick with what little he’d had.

Recognized the fabled natural chakra running through his chakra pathways once he’d seen the marks on his skin.

Recognized that the natural chakra was the _only_ reason why he’d even been still standing, let alone sealing all of Kei’s insides _back inside_.)

(He didn’t know the jutsu Tobirama had done.

He’d copied it regardless because he’d _seen what it had done_.

Seen how color had come back to Kei’s skin even as it had faded from Tobirama, breathe deepening and easing even as it had been torn from Tobirama.

He’d never heard of a jutsu that could give life to the dying at the expense of the user.

He could recognize its use, and tucked it away as a _just-in-case_.)

He’d been horrified once he’d realized that Tobirama had been willing to trade his life for Kei, _after having done this for his own brother_.

(He was _so horrified_ , that Tobirama had offered his life to Death for his brother, survived the encounter, if by a _thread_ considering how thin and exhausted he appeared, _then offered his life again for another_.

Shinobi, by course, didn’t have much self-preservation instinct. At best, it was dulled. At worst, it was suicidal.

He was _horrified_ at how Tobirama’s was toeing _suicidal_.)

By the way Izuna’s eyes were wide, as he helped lay Tobirama next to Kei, Madara thought Izuna had thought the same.

Izuna jolted at how _cold_ Tobirama was.

(Izuna knew Tobirama ran cold. Particularly in comparison with them, with the Uchiha fire.

He’d figured it out that it had to do with his element being water.

But this was like _death_.)

Madara’s hands tightened on the edges of Tobirama’s light kimono, not even seeing the goldfish patterned across it, as Jun covered him with blankets, angry.

(He knew he’d be snickering any other time at seeing _Tobirama_ wearing a _fish_ -patterned kimono.

Particularly as his faint breath smelled strongly of fish and telling what his last meal had been.)

(He was _angry_ because Hashirama had _failed_ his job as an older brother.

They were supposed to _stop_ younger siblings from pulling stunts like this.

Supposed to keep them _safe_.

 _Loved_.

Die _before_ them.

Tobirama had risked _everything_ for his own brother, if he understood that the jutsu that he’d used to save Kei he’d also used for his brother. Had risked _everything_ for his, because they were _Izuna’s_ precious brothers. Because they were vital to _Hashirama’s Dream_.

Because he knew himself. Knew Izuna.

They would have been _enraged_ at Kei’s death, and any ideas of Peace would have died with Kei.

He was glad that Kei lived, but Tobirama had risked too much.

Had Hashirama kept Tobirama from pulling these stunts?

Had he kept him safe after he had pulled this stunt once?

Had he assured him he was _loved_ and would be _missed_?

Had he seen how willing Tobirama was to die for others?

Had he given everything to keep Tobirama alive when he’d been walking the line between death and life with how chakra exhausted he was?

Had he done everything in his power, even lock him away and _never_ left him alone, to keep Tobirama tethered to life when he toed that line?

He didn’t think so.)


	38. Anger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More of the epic Touka-and-Tobirama bromance.  
> (Also expressed in what-you-did-was-STUPID-and-I'm-going-to-make-who-hurt-mine-HURT.)

Tōka was _angry_ at Hashirama.

She’d _seen_ how after Lady Kyoko had died, that Tobirama had ceased calling him _nii-san_ , and had started calling him _onii-san_ most times instead.

 _Onii-sama_ occasionally.

She knew it was telling of _something_.

(It had unsettled her.

It made her think that Hashirama and Tobirama had fought.

Fought seriously enough that Tobirama was distancing himself.

Only, Hashirama had acted like nothing more was wrong than that their mother was dead.

He’d even been clinging to Tobirama.

When Hashirama was upset with someone, he pouted and wailed and sulked.

When he was _really_ upset, he patently ignored them.

In that way, the brothers were alike.)

Tobirama didn’t really call Hashirama _onii-sama_ much after the occasion Hashirama had called Kouki’s fur at his shoulders _rabbit_ , but it had popped up on occasion.

He mostly just muttered scathing comments and gave cold looks.

Occasionally he blew up, and threw sharp objects after Hashirama while the other fled.

She would have thought things were settling into a new normal, if it hadn’t been for how she knew Tobirama still adored Hashirama, but he never called him _nii-san_ again.

(If she hadn’t learned to read the bristles of his shaggy hair.

There had been _disappointment_ , and _sadness_ , and _upset_ , and _hurt_ , warring with _affection_ when he’d been looking at Hashirama.)

 _Something_ had changed.

(And not for the better.)

She’d tried asking, but Tobirama had gotten upset when asked.

(She’d known it was because Tobirama didn’t want to address the fight.

He’d known she would have torn Hashirama apart for what had upset him on his side.)

She’d known it was because Tobirama was _bad_ at expressing feelings.

(She’d learned that if you wanted to know his feelings on something, it was all in his _actions_ – in how polite he was, in who spent time with when, in who he shed on. Tobirama was vocal most in non-vocal things.)

If he wasn’t happy with someone, he’d harass them by constantly being in their way.

If he was biting back sharp, biting retorts, he got particularly polite.

If he loved something, that was all he would eat, all he would use, all he would wear, to the exclusion of everything else.

If he wanted something, he tended to stare.

She thought half-jokingly the staring thing was because he expected you to read his mind for what he wanted. Half-seriously thought it was because he didn’t _know_ what words to use that wouldn’t scare someone off or convey what he meant.

(His mother had championed _taking_ instead of _asking_ once permission had been given unless told otherwise at any point.)

(It typically made him stand-off-ish to people until he was allowed close, and then _they couldn’t get rid of him_ if he liked them.

It was very much of a _what is yours, is now mine_ scenario, especially with personal space. Their own personal space was Not A Thing when he was around.)

Instead of trying to _use_ his words, however, he just kept quiet.

She blamed some of the Elders and the way she’d overheard them talk about ‘the job of the spare heir’, for it.

She knew it was because Tobirama had heard them, and soft-hearted fool that he was beneath his mask of ice, didn’t want to bring trouble with his words to his loved ones when he already thought he was failing.

So he suffered their mistakes instead, never _really_ voicing his complaints.

(It made her wonder how many instances Hashirama had casually said something, done something, _not_ said something, _not_ done something, and upset Tobirama, but Tobirama had bottled it up.

Bottled it up, because he loved his family more than anything.

Including _himself_.)

 _Now_ , it was _obvious_ something had changed between them.

(It was how, even as Kawarama lay dying and Tobirama gave everything he had, Hashirama kept a distance.

It was in how Hashirama hadn’t visited Tobirama before sitting at Kawarama’s bedside.

It was in how Hashirama hadn’t even realized Tobirama had left the compound.

It was how he hadn’t asked after him.)

(She wished that she’d pushed harder before.

It should have _never_ gotten so bad that Hashirama didn’t even _think_ about Tobirama’s safety.

That he took him for _granted_.)

She’d held her tongue while Butsuma had run off to die.

(Die and leave all the responsibilities of running the clan on Tobirama’s shoulders, because they all knew while Hashirama may be the heir, _Tobirama_ would run the day-to-day details.

She couldn’t begrudge him death.

She could hate him for it because it was _selfish_ when two of your children had nearly _died_ but they were still _alive_ and _needed you_.

But she couldn’t _begrudge_ him it.

He had long ago stopped living.

His body had just continued on. Trying to go through the motions, still feel, and still care.

But he’d _broken_ , breaking _more and more_ with each death.

Kawarama’s – and Tobirama’s – near-death had _shattered_ him though.)

She’d held her tongue as he’d taken all those she’d consider traitors – and Taka – with him, for a battle against the Uchiha.

(All of them were _good-riddance_ , even if their deaths would cut into their numbers _more._ Numbers they didn’t really have to spare.

Except for Taka.

But he’d fractured himself with each death. The guilt crushing him after each perceived failure.

He’d gone for an honorable death in battle, and so that Butsuma didn’t die alone surrounded by enemies.)

She’d held her tongue until they were gone.

Then she’d barged into where Kawarama was healing, Hashirama at his bedside, and Itama looking near tears as he’d been telling Hashirama _I can’t find Tobirama-nii-san_.

Her voice had been a snarl, and her ō-naginata had screeched against the wood of the floor as she’d dragged it with her.

“ _What the fuck did you_ do _to Tobirama_ , _Hashirama?!_ ”

(His clueless face, and inward-guilt in his eyes, had been too much.

The, “What?”, too much.)

(She didn’t regret one bit punching the bastard in the face and sending him crashing through the wall of the room to outside.

She just regretted not punching him _sooner_.

For Tobirama’s sake.)

(She didn’t hesitate to leave Hashirama there, as she tried to smile reassuringly at Itama, looking over Kawarama to be sure he was fine before she met Tobirama again.

She’d done her duty to her clan.

Now, she had to find Tobirama.

Dead or alive.

It was the least she owed him.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next one is mostly sweet, I promise!


	39. Clowder

Tobirama woke up suddenly this time.

On either side of him was _warmth_.

(He wanted to stay.

Wanted to stay _so much_.

He felt _warm_ and _safe_ and _loved_.)

(It should have alarmed him, because his last memories were of Madara watching him intently as he saved his brother’s life.

He should have been fleeing, because he was still their enemy.)

He shifted, and had one arm thrown over him.

Another reached across the body next to him and grasped his rumpled kimono.

(A soft smile was on his face at seeing how the three uninjured brothers had boxed their fourth in.

It was also a touch sad, because he believed that he was there because the Uchiha were honorable, and they would at least let him stay until he woke because he’d saved Kei.)

He nearly burrowed back in the pile.

(If he hadn’t had the safety of his brothers laying so heavily on his mind.

If he wasn’t afraid Tōka thought him dead.)

Instead, he carefully extracted himself from where Izuna had wrapped himself over his left side, head laying on his chest. Carefully removed Madara’s clawed grip on the front of his kimono over Kei.

(If he hadn’t been trying to leave covertly, he would have stuck his normally cool hands down Izuna’s shirt to make him let go. But his hands were warm for once, so that option was gone.

He would have instead licked a strip of Madara’s hand then blamed it on Izuna.

If he had been able to relax here without a rush to leave.)

Standing a little unsteadily, he’d met the eyes of the fourth Uchiha brother.

(They had stared at each for a long moment.

Tobirama tense because he expected to be told to go away, and never meet Izuna again.

Jun because he was gauging how much Tobirama had recovered with the hours of heavy sleep, and whether he should wake one of his brothers to keep the other here for a little while longer.)

Eventually, he must have passed the silent test, because Jun gave a soft nod, “Thank you,”, before scooting closer to Izuna, and letting the younger cling to him.

(Jun would rather Tobirama stay until Madara spoke with him, but he understood.

Tobirama likely felt unwelcome in the heart of Uchiha territory, and worried about his own brothers.

So he let him go.)

Tobirama left quickly.

(After he smirked at seeing how silver hair had shed on all four brothers.)


	40. Arrange

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel stupid about this, but I almost posted this four times yesterday.  
> Stopped only by how I couldn't think of a title.

Butsuma didn’t survive his battle.

(Neither did Tajima.

Grief-stricken they both were, but they had been evenly matched for too long.

Only, Butsuma didn’t dodge as he usually did in their little dance.

He took a fatal wound to give a killing blow in turn to Tajima.)

Neither did most of the war-band that had gone with him.

(Most of the Elders had been out of battle too long, and hadn’t bothered to keep their skills sharp in the years since becoming an Elder.

The distant cousins battle-eagerness had been met by superior numbers and angry Uchiha. If the battle had been more evenly-matched, if their strength hadn’t been augmented by their grief-fueled anger, maybe the losses would have been more even.)

Taka survived long enough to bring Butsuma home.

(He’d smiled at Tobirama, who’d with the escort of Tōka, had made it back just in time to witness this, before dying where he’d brought Butsuma to Kyoko’s grave.)

Ume hadn’t smiled since.

(It was a stark contrast to how she’d regularly been seen arguing with Taka about anything and everything. Sometimes smiling, sometimes scowling, sometimes laughing.

They’d been polar opposites, but their intent had always been in-line.

She’d lost a friend who would never hesitate to tell her that she looked terrible, who would never lie to her, who would always take her side when it mattered. A friend who’d given lively debate, but never let their very different upbringings and different cultural values let them suffer an argument so grievous that they couldn’t come together again amicably.)

The closest that had come, had been something like a smirk as she’d praised Itama on what she’d taught him when he’d shown how he’d learned it.

The clan, angry and unsure how to feel because _more death_ but _they were tired of fighting_ , particularly after many of the younger generation had grown up on Hashirama’s ideas of peace, were split.

Ume had promised to hold down the fort, while those too angry to listen to ideas of peace had gone to battle the Uchiha for vengeance.

Hashirama went because he was the leader of the clan.

Tobirama because his brother was too soft-hearted to kill unless it was necessary.

Tōka because she didn’t trust Hashirama alone with Tobirama, having not given him the chance to do more than look in his direction since their return to their compound.


	41. Assemble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part two of 'Arrange'.

The Uchiha were baying for blood at the death of Tajima.

(It didn’t matter to some of them that he’d gone to avenge a son that hadn’t actually died.

That the vengeance had been an excuse to fight the Senju.)

Madara didn’t want this fight.

(If Kei _had_ died, he’d be the first calling for blood.

Only, Tobirama – the _bastard_ – had all but given _his life_ for Kei – then had escaped before he could thank him _properly_.)

The Elders demanded retribution.

(They didn’t care none of the clan had armor, as it had all been sold to feed them over the hard winter.)

Most of the clan demanded retribution.

(Too many had lost children to the Senju.

Kei’s near-death had torn open barely healed wounds.)

He went to fight because he was now the leader of the clan.

Izuna went to guard his back.

(Jun was staying back to make sure Tobirama’s sacrifice didn’t go to waste when Kei woke up and found out what had been declared in his name.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> May not update until Monday.  
> The Rose-City Comic-con is this weekend, and I'm going.


	42. Resolution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part three to Arrange

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The resolution of the breaking of brotherly bonds, and the meeting of all four parties of the technically-enemies-but-friends.

They met in battle in the neutral territory.

Tobirama dashed ahead of the pack, striking at the first of the Uchiha.

(He’d sensed that most of the Uchiha’s clan had come out for this battle, and he was willing to strike first if it meant less of his clan died.

His personal feelings meant nothing here.)

He met Izuna’s blade, clashing.

(Izuna looked conflicted.

He didn’t want this fight.

He did this for the same reasons as Tobirama though.)

Hashirama met Madara.

(Hashirama didn’t want to fight.

Madara _did_.

He was _angry_.

He was screaming every single even _mildly_ insulting thing he could think of at Hashirama.

Because Hashirama didn’t seem to understand that he’d screwed up in regard to Tobirama.

 _He was going to make sure Hashirama learned about how badly he’d neglected his big brother duties_.

 _He didn’t care who heard him._ )

Tobirama didn’t so much freeze as his eyes narrowed when he heard a Senju sneer and say that it was a _pity_ that Kyoko had lived as long as she had, they could have been killing Uchiha of any age for much longer. Two more agreeing with the first’s comment.

(He was _pissed_.

It was the special type of angry that drove sense and logic away.)

He turned away from Izuna, confusing the Uchiha at his abrupt abandonment of their half-spar half-fight-to-the-death, before snarling wordlessly, and letting the genjutsu he’d reapplied for Hashirama’s sake fall.

(He _wanted_ them to _see_ what they’d provoked.

See what a _mistake_ it had been to say _that_ in his hearing.)

His hands flew through hand-signs, and his element was _eager_ to come to his call.

(The few clouds in the sky disappeared.

The air was dry.

Plants crunched under their feet, brittle.)

(The river was near, but here it was just part of it, a stream really.

It was shallow, barely cutting through the earth.

It was more than the step across it was, by the start of summer.

Now it was barely more than a trickle.)

(The jutsu was incomplete, as he had yet to figure out how to shape the water, beyond a mass near him.

It would still serve his purposes here.)

The water gathered around him, like a wild thing come to heel.

It shifted and coiled.

(He didn’t hesitate it to direct it to the three clansmen.

He was _angry_ and _fed up with_ stupid _adults_.)

It struck like a viper, slapping across their chests and sending them flying, to slam into the hard bark of the trees Hashirama had made to restrain what Uchiha he could.

(He was angry, but he wasn’t without mercy.

Even if Tōka wouldn’t call it _mercy_.

Not as he considered handing these three off to the Uchiha as a gift, to deal with as they saw fit.)

(He was Done.

Stupid adults wanted to fight? Fine, let them.

He had _water_.)

Tobirama started moving away, moving towards his now thriving stream-turned-river, hands tugging at the hems of his clothes.

(Tōka had been muttering about stripping idiots as she’d fostered too big armor on him, tightening it in such a way that it was difficult for him to remove on his own. Not impossible though.

He’d suspected that he was the _idiot_ in question, even if he didn’t get _why_.

It wasn’t like regularly he stripped at the drop of a hat.)

There was the sound of a tea pot boiling over behind him.

(Izuna had seen the river.

He’d thought _huh, Tobirama would be swimming in that if we weren’t fighting_ , and _at least Tobirama wouldn’t start stripping in a battle for water_.

He’d underestimated how utterly _Done_ Tobirama was with the idiots in their clans fighting.

That Tobirama had deemed the fighting not worth his attention.

He’d realized it when he saw Tobirama start tugging at his ill-fitting armor.)

Tobirama was turning around, instincts itching with _irritation-embarrassment-Sage-why_ , and nearly got brained with a rock, “ _What the fuck are you doing?! Our clans are still fighting asshole! This isn’t the time to go swimming! Or are you a complete dimwit!?_ ”, if he hadn’t caught it just in front of his face.

(Izuna may have thrown the rock because he was _not_ above taking petty revenge for the rock in _his_ face when the opportunity presented itself. As it had.

And he greatly preferred when Tobirama actually had _clothes_ on, he did _not_ like how amused Tobirama had always looked as he lounged naked in the river, completely unbothered while _he’d_ turned crimson.)

Tobirama’s eyes had narrowed – _he did_ not _appreciate being called a_ dimwit _–_ before he took in the flush on Izuna’s cheeks and _smirked_.

(He was amused that even the slightest _hint_ of him stripping got Izuna flushing.

A glance to the side saw a flush coming to Madara’s face after he’d quickly glanced over at Izuna’s yelling.

Because the older Uchiha was completely unable to help the instincts that whispered at him _this is a trick, he’s doing it to throw them off their game_ , that told him to check Izuna’s safety regardless of the threat to his own life. Even if he was just engaged with Hashirama in glorified sparring despite _trying_ to burn off Hashirama’s eyebrows.

As he was a _complete_ mother-hen, which he knew due to how often Izuna had complained of it, and how at the slightest hint of distress from Izuna, even when in pure irritation, he’d _look_.

Madara’s flushing was _particularly_ amusing.

It gave him an _idea_.)

He tugged on his armor again, pulling it off and tossing it to the side, “Not my fight. This is just idiots brawling because they’re comparing wounds like what’s between their legs. _No, my pain is worse. No, MY loss is worse than yours_.”, removing his fur-collared haori and carefully folding it, “And I wouldn’t be throwing stones, tomato-face, when you decided to play with fire on the hottest day of summer last year.”.

(A glance out of the corner of his eye saw Madara quickly passing Izuna in how red he was going, stumbling and face-planting into one of Hashirama’s trees.

Izuna was starting to sound like a boiling teapot again.)

Izuna started flailing, “ _Why the hell are you stripping though?!_ ”, not seeing how the half-hearted fighting going around them since Tobirama had effectively removed three of his own clan from the fight, as they were all a little too invested in the drama going on with a clan heir to do more – _because shinobi were unrepentant gossips_ – stopped entirely at his words.

(The Senju were used to this.

Even if a few sighed and rubbed at their temples, going _that boy . . !_ )

(Tōka’s exasperated yell of _Sage-dammit, Tobirama!_ went unanswered.)

(The Uchiha stared.

And stared.

Many of them flushing.)

Hashirama looked – _knowing_ that the only one who _would_ strip here, would be Tobirama – and proceeded to flail, “What?!?”, seeing that Tobirama had somehow managed to strip _completely_ , before casually going to jump into the river.

(His mokouton stretched out as his control failed for a moment, reacting to his emotions of _oh-my-Sage-No-not-now!_ )

(It escaped most of their minds that as a powerful suiton user, that _in the water_ , even naked, was not a weakness to him.

It was even a strength, connected as he was with his element.

It certainly made his jutsu stronger, quicker to enact _being in a body of water_.

Even if it _looked_ ridiculous, going swimming in the middle of a battle.)

Mid-jump, a tree sprouted just beneath Tobirama’s feet, and he was effectively punched up into the air.

(Tōka’s scream of _Tobirama!!_ , followed by her utterly _vicious_ look to Hashirama, sent shivers down many of their spines.

As she’d made quite the reputation, and it was nothing less than Terrifying.)

He spun through the air, before landing on his feet on the other side of the battle field.

(Izuna may have developed a bit of a Thing for people who were Terrifying and could beat him to a pulp, after the fourth time he’d been totally beat into the ground by a cousin and he’d just come back for more.

There _may_ have been a Thing towards Tobirama after seeing him just _wipe aside_ his clansmen _like they were nothing_ , with _water_.

It died a quick death to be replaced by very much a Thing, as he saw Tobirama’s cousin just _tear through the ranks of the Uchiha like they were rice-paper_ that were in-between her and Tobirama, and _accidentally_ brain him with the flat of the blade of her ō-naginata in the process.

Instead of seeing _stars_ , he was seeing _hearts_ as he watched her blurry form stalk to Tobirama’s side.

He was in _love_.)

(Izuna was also _mystified_ at how Tobirama had been flung from one side of the battlefield to the other from a _glancing blow_ from one of Hashirama’s trees _by accident_ – knowing it was an accident by the panicked flailing Hashirama was doing, which was quickly squashed by his brother’s foot to his face – before _landing on his feet_ , and being _absolutely fine_.

He would have smirked at the vicious way his brother stomped down Hashirama, if moving at all hadn’t made him vomit.)

Tobirama’s eyes had narrowed after he’d landed on his feet, his lips thinning as he’d decided an equivalent of _fuck it_ , just being _utterly Done_ with the day, and turned his gaze on Madara with a bit of _spite_.

(Tōka swore by the _Sage_ that what he’d done was _completely_ a result of the combination of Teenage Rebellion and Middle Child Syndrome, helped along by the prospect of retaliation against Izuna and Hashirama.

She was still withholding judgment on whether Tobirama had been _momentarily_ insane, or if he was just that particular brand of _bat-shit_ _crazy_ that toed the line between _reckless_ and _sadistic_ , when pushed past his patience. And this was _both reckless and sadistic_.

It after all, took crazy to not just poke a sleeping predator but to _slap it across the face_ just to see what its reaction would be – or more accurately, if it would just swing out randomly, or if it would try for the direction the hit had come from – so that he _could_ be crazy, was never in doubt. Just the amount and if it was consistent, or if it was just outbursts of insanity.)

Giving a bit of a pout – mildly unintentionally as this was _not_ his usual mode of operation – for being denied his chance to swim, Tobirama sauntered across the battlefield, naked, while meeting and holding the red eyes of Madara, “You got plans later?”.

(He _enjoyed_ the nearly in-unison choke and bugging of the eyes Hashirama and Izuna did at his _come-hither_ tone.

The fact that pretty much all of the Uchiha there were redder than their sharingan, and everyone had essentially frozen in shock just made his amusement greater.)

(Tōka just groaned, hurrying the last bit of distance to Tobirama while everyone was shocked, well aware that he’d been pretty much aiming for that reaction even if he’d been more specifically looking to give Hashirama an aneurism _for denying him a chance to swim because he was petty and spiteful when he wanted_.)

She quickly draped his haori over his shoulders, having snagged it as she worked her way across the battlefield, and stood in front of him to cover him a little better. Muttering about how Tobirama was her trial for being an _awful_ person in her last life, to the little bastard’s amusement.

She tossed a dirty look over her shoulder at Madara as she worked to at least get his groin and ass covered somehow.

(She’d seen the _eyes_ he’d been making – even if Tobirama wouldn’t have been looking beyond how _red_ the Uchiha had gone with how _smug_ he was at achieving that – and resolved to make the Uchiha’s life _hell_ for it later.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This isn't the Yelling. The Yelling shall take place off the battlefield, this is just a precursor and Madara just straight-up insulting Hashirama and telling him he sucks at being an elder brother.  
> Like is just Sage-terrible, and he should rescind his title as Elder Brother.  
> (Madara is NOT eloquent with words when angry. Or flustered.)


	43. Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I spaced that this isn't actually part of the last chapter, and so some of my answers to comments might not have made a lot of sense.

The battle had ended in an awkward stalemate.

(After Tobirama’s strip and attempt to go swimming, the urge to fight had been replaced by embarrassment and awkwardness on both sides.)

None of the Uchiha could look at him, only dressed in his haori because, despite Tōka’s increasingly descriptive threats, he hadn’t put more clothes on. If anything, he kept trying to _remove_ his haori because the river was _right there_. If she didn’t have a firm grip on the back of his neck, he’d already _be_ in the water.

Lounging about naked in it and smirking as _certain_ Uchiha got _very_ red.

As it was, Izuna kept fluctuating between boiling teapot, and doing this awkward flailing as he tried to compliment Tōka.

( _Your biceps are lovely._

_You must be a Goddess, because your power is awesome and I would worship you until the end of time._

_Can we spar?_

_Is that lip-paint the blood of your enemies, O Beautiful Goddess of War?_ )

The Uchiha seemed split on what to be more embarrassed about – that their leader had yet to not be a red-and-black tomato impersonating being human; that Tobirama was effectively naked with only Tōka’s strategic placement of his haori covering him; or Izuna’s flailing attempts to flirt.

The Senju weren’t much better – Hashirama had yet to stop wailing from where he was pinned beneath Madara’s foot about how he was _sorry, so sorry Tobirama, I love you_ ; Tobirama kept trying to strip to go _swimming_ despite being surrounded by his enemies; or Tōka’s gruff amusement to Izuna’s flirting.

After a while, Tōka had rolled her eyes at Hashirama, _shut up dumbass, have_ some _dignity_ , before patting Izuna on his head, in a manner that could be construed as almost fond, _I can’t spar with you until my beating you to a pulp wouldn’t have your brother out to kill me_.

Izuna had immediately blushed, then turned to cling to Madara, having no shame about how he stepped heavily on Hashirama’s gut, to whine, _I fully support you wanting peace if it means I get to spar with the lovely, fierce Goddess_.

(Izuna would insist it wasn’t a _whine_ , Sage-dammit.

He called it a _manly plea_.)

Hashirama had rolled around on the ground beneath Madara’s foot with glee, pulling himself free with tears of excitement to fling himself at Madara, “Does that mean we can talk about official peace, Madara-chan?!”.

(Madara’s eye was twitching warningly as Izuna’s clinging had hindered his ability to dodge, and he was thus now wrapped up in Hashirama’s arms while the other wailed and cried on his shoulder about how _happy_ he was that Peace could be real.

He flung Hashirama away with Prejudice when he saw Tobirama _smirk_ , before managing to stutter out that he would be willing to discuss Peace on a trial basis in a week.

He wanted time to think on more insults for Hashirama just as much as thinking on what terms of peace his clan would accept with their age-old enemy.

Stuttering because every time he caught a glimpse of the nearly-naked Tobirama, he’d trip over his words.)

(It was too late for Madara’s dignity though.

It died an inglorious death that day at the hands of Hashirama, Tobirama, and his own brother.

 _The little bastard_.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, Madara's ending comment was meant for all three to degrees.


	44. Catch Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here's Kei. (And Jun.)

Kei had woken up, healed where he should have died, and had been confused for a moment.

(He didn’t understand how he was alive.

He didn’t know why it was just Jun at his bedside. He _knew_ Madara and Izuna should have been hovering and worried, particularly the former.

Madara was _such_ a mother-hen.)

Then Jun had explained.

(Explained that Father had rushed off to avenge him.

He knew Tajima had gone to kill Butsuma once-and-for-all, and with their unofficial peace having kept them from engaging in open battle for years, he’d eagerly jumped at the chance to battle his rival.

Explained that a few of their number had struck down one of Butsuma’s children.

Explained how the Senju Sensor turned out to be one of Butsuma’s children, and he’d saved his brother’s life, before coming here to try and save _his_ life.

Explained how he’d succeeded.

Explained that Tajima had died with Butsuma and most of the Senju war-party.

Explained how many of the clan had been riled up at his near-loss, stoked further by the loss of their leader, and demanded retribution upon the Senju, and Madara was going to battle for it.)

Jun had been holding him down as he’d started raving and yelling about _battle-hungry idiots_ , trying to get up and rush after his two other brothers.

(If Madara survived, he was tempted to kill his elder brother himself.

Though Jun had a nearly-as-satisfying idea on how to retaliate.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So who remembers what Madara was afraid Jun would do? If you do, you have an idea on what'll happen to Madara.


	45. Tail Flick

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A certain somebody is Prickly.

Tōka hadn’t stopped laughing for at least an hour.

(They’d returned less-than-victorious, and things had seemed to settle after Hashirama had announced that all conflict with the Uchiha was to be suspended as terms of peace were to be drafted.

While all but glued to Tobirama’s side.

Up until the third time someone had asked _why_ the fighting had stopped.

Despite the fact that Hashirama had winced and kept giving a short answer, _Madara and I share a dream of peace, and with our clans tired of fighting and us in charge, the subject was broached_ , people had kept _asking_.

Tobirama’s lip had curled after the question was repeated once more, eyes narrowing in irritation because _the water had been right there, and he hadn’t gotten a chance to swim in it, and now they kept bringing. It. Up._ , as if the question was a _taunt_ , and he’d stalked off, stripping his clothes as he’d gone to dive into their little koi pond.

Having to fight to shrug off the man-leech stuck to his side and wailing, _NOOOO, TOBIRAMA DON’T LEAVE ME!!_ )

Frankly, it disturbed the rest of the clan to hear Tōka laughing like this.

Hashirama had lost all color he’d had after it hadn’t _stopped_ after a few minutes, because whatever amused her _this_ much, was _never_ good.

(Something that was made worse by how she’d been following Tobirama around after he’d stopped sulking in the water, when Hashirama had been dragged off by Ume, chuckling while she kept draping him in clothes after he would strip the extra layers off.

Tossing the shed clothes at the trailing puppy dog again hounding at his heels, _TOBIRAMA I LOOOOOVEE YOOOUUU!!!!_

Most had found it hard to keep a straight face when she’d proudly tackled him down, then shoved him into a, particularly _garish_ , kimono.

They didn’t know kimono could come with pawprints all over it.

They tried though when Tobirama had started flinging sharp objects at the laughing Hashirama.)

She’d _cackled_ after someone had dared to ask _Tobirama_ why the fighting had stopped, as it hadn’t taken a genius to see Hashirama had been skirting the truth. Particularly when his eyes had kept drifting to Tobirama with a faint blush.

(His eyes had narrowed to slits, one hand casually flicking out to swat the asker on the back of the head in a motion almost too fast to be seen, before he’d spat out, _I’d had it with stupidity and tried to walk out on the fighting. No one would let me, and it proceeded to down spiral from there and everyone found themselves no longer fighting as they watched onii-sama flail around like an idiot_.

She thought that if he’d had a tail, it would have been flicking very angrily behind him.

It made her snort before she’d turned his glower at her, and the effect was _completely_ ruined by his kimono.

It was hard to take the teen seriously with it on.

His man-leech didn’t help _in the slightest_ , while it wailed apologies and declarations of love.)

He stripped out of the kimono and dove back in the water after kicking Hashirama away, the top of his head just barely poking out in defiance of how shallow the pond _was_ , with his glower fierce enough that it kept _most_ away.

(Hashirama had gotten a rock thrown at his head, with a snapped, _learn how to be less suspicious already!_ More rocks following when he hadn’t left and tried to sulk nearby with _No one loves me_. Tobirama was quite proud that the third rock not just cut off the indignant squawk the second rock had caused but had smacked his brother right in the forehead.

Tōka got something dangerously close to a pout, and a wave of water splashed her way when she’d started to laugh _again_.

Kawarama sat at the water’s edge and rambled on about all the things he’d learned that day.

Itama had decided to go swimming with him.

Ume took her tea next to the pond and used how the teen glowered as a respite from _stupid questions_.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is not the end of the Dramatics by Hashirama.
> 
> Nope, not at all.


	46. Shedding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to tormenting Madara.
> 
> (IE what Jun and Kei decided to do to get back at Madara for running off to fight the Senju.
> 
> And yet, somehow, Madara blames a certain not-an-actual-cat.)

Madara hadn’t seen Tobirama in three days – a week since the near-death experiences of Kei and the aforementioned pale bastard – and he’d cursed his name, his family, his _whole family line past, present and future_ , no less than thirty times. A day.

(A _great_ deal _more_ for _many_ reasons.

Madara spitefully kept cursing about the teen’s lack of a survival instinct, his sassy ways, his general cat-ness, _his flirting_.

He got stuck on the _flirting_ and _stripping_ occasionally.

 _His shedding_ was in a whole league of its own though.)

(Bets were actually being taken on when and where the next episode of foul-mouthed spite about Tobirama would take place.

Nearly everyone was in on the betting about the shed hair, just because it was so often and gave them so many opportunities to bet. They found it a bit of fun honestly, something less doom-and-gloom.

Jun _may_ have been rigging it a _little_. With Kei’s assistance.

Jun may have agreed with Kei, but their brother had _just_ become head of the clan, they could save serious challenges to his choices for a little later.)

At first, it had been with resigned sputtering that he’d discovered Tobirama had managed to shed on all of them before skipping out.

(Annoying, but he was used to it after the winter.

It wouldn’t have been so bad if Izuna hadn’t kept snickering every time he saw him, plucking a hair off him.)

He’d learned his lesson after the winter – someone else had to fetch clothes for them to change into, strip, then putting the new clothes on in another room, before the clothes would have to be beat at outside until the hair was gone.

Otherwise, the hair was just tracked in amongst his clothes and he’d _never_ stop finding them.

(He’d underestimated the sheer _clinginess_ of the hair.

He was despairing at how despite the trick that had worked during the winter, hair could _still_ be found on his clothes.

He’d forgotten to account for the warming spring breeze blowing the hair back inside.)

This time though, the hair got _everywhere_.

(It might not have been so bad, if _everyone_ was suffering like him. He was just spiteful like that.

It was like the hair had a life of its own though. It wouldn’t cling to anyone else than the three brothers, but it would hitch a ride.

It managed to travel to nearly every place in the compound, and even appeared to be _multiplying_.

Madara was at a _complete_ loss on how to deal with it _when it just_ kept _appearing_.

He wasn’t aware of the betting, or that Jun was rigging it, or that some of the children were finding it right _fun_ to make their leader sputter and flush and screech thanks to Kei’s prompting.)

It was all in his bedding.

On his clothes.

Floating in the air of his room.

Laying on his gunbai.

Next to his chopsticks.

Tangled in his hair.

 _In_ his clothes.

(He felt like he was _losing his damn mind_.

The damn bastard was getting his revenge by his curse of shed hair.

It didn’t matter that he had no idea what the revenge could be _for._

It just. _Couldn’t be_ _anything other_ than a _curse_ on him.

 _The hair was_ EVERYWHERE _.)_


	47. Personal Space

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or, otherwise known as: I want attention when i/I/ want it, not when you give it to me.

Tobirama had _had it_ with his brother’s hovering.

Just _Done_.

(Not that he didn’t love his brother. Or that something Madara had said had gotten through his thick tree trunk of a skull and thus he no longer looked at him like a threat to his peace.

It just was _too much_.

He was used to a certain degree of isolation, intentional and purposeful on both his part and everyone else’s, as well as happenstance, but Hashirama just couldn’t seem to exist except at either extreme when it came to his attention-giving.)

The overgrown puppy wouldn’t give him more than an arms’ worth of distance before gluing himself back to his side.

(Not that he didn’t love that his brother _wanted_ to spend time with him, but space. It was a Thing he _greatly enjoyed_.

No matter Touka’s mutters about how it _wasn’t_ _just_ his _Thing_.)

His final straw had been when Hashirama had sprung forward to tackle him as he had in a last-ditch effort, been about to prematurely test a jutsu, the shunshin, _just to get some space for five minutes_ , and then had been _picked up under the arms to be clutched to his brother’s chest._

(He was not ashamed to say that his first instinct had been to claw his nails into his brother’s arm to sink his teeth into the fleshy bit he’d gripped, before taking advantage of his brother’s yowl and loosened grip to _fling_ himself away.

Touka had certainly found it _hilarious_ , laughing so hard she cried at the scene.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hashirama strikes me as the type to be so enthusiastic with his attention that he i/would/ grip an animal - or person - this way. Just like a little kid that doesn't know better and JUST WANTS FLUFFY TO COME WITH.


	48. Preparing for the Worst

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuing the Uzumaki introduction.

Tobirama had high hopes for the peace talks the next day.

(Higher than he usually dared to hope.

He wasn’t an optimistic person, didn’t have the chance to be with the constant war and death around him. Not without forcing Hashirama to change.

If he had ever been, it had died with his mother.

Instead, he settled for pragmatic.

Hashirama was a force of nature who would settle for nothing but peace, and Madara wanted peace for his family.

 _There would be peace_.

He’d just put them in a situation that let both of their desires for it shine.)

It didn’t mean he wouldn’t prepare.

(He may have reapplied his genjutsu after he’d become _done_ with the fighting, and so most hadn’t really seen it. Some may have even thought they were imagining things.

Not the Uchiha with their sharingan activated his way, but they were a minority.

He wanted them to have that second of _surprise_ if things went sideways.)

(He still thought arranging a closer alliance with the Uzumaki would highly benefit them.

He didn’t want the war to continue, but he would take all necessary preparations to ensure _his family_ _survived_.

Even if that meant tearing his own heart out and forsaking what he’d brought to life with his saving of Kei.

The Uzumaki were still their best bet at beating the sharingan.

Their ridiculous deep chakra reserves and high vitality combined with their sealing, allowed them to match the Uchiha and even outlast them when their premier techniques failed against them.

He didn’t really understand it yet, but something about their chakra had that same hard-to-tame quality the Uchiha had that made genjutsu difficult to use on them, even without the sharingan.)

So he sent a missive with a cousin, suggesting an arranged marriage of one of their own with their sister clan if an alliance was amicable.

(He hoped for Hashirama, and the one he’d heard whispered about: the Uzumaki Princess.

Any matches between their clans would be a success, but Uzumaki Mito sounded like the ideal candidate to be the Lady to his brother’s Lord. Sophisticated, raised as an heir, a seal master of her own right, and a kunoichi.

He _personally_ wanted her to be headstrong and opinionated, cool-headed and indomitable.

He wanted her to be somebody his brother could _love_ as a wife, and not just as an ally.

Wanted her to be his brother's _equal_.)


	49. Peace Talks: First Attempt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep, I did write FIRST attempt. You can already guess about the success (or failure) this will be.
> 
> Also, the Yelling as promised.

For the first peace talk, the entirety of both clans would come.

(So if it went _badly_ , they could end this warring either way.

But if it went fine, then selected representatives would meet from then on to hash out terms of peace.)

Neither side was relaxed, both having gotten and taken first blood from the other, but for the first time in a long time, there was _hope_.

(Since before anyone’s memory at least.

There were memories of truces and uneasy cease-fires, and every generation had at least one who championed an end to this cycle of violence, but no one remembered _peace_.

No one would, because the last time there had been, had been from long-distant ancestors that had been the source of their feud.)

It didn’t mean weapons were left at home, or armor wasn’t put on.

But they would _try_ to talk, and _listen_.

For the first time, all four of the Senju brothers met all four of the Uchiha brothers.

Madara lost what cool he had at the sight of Hashirama and Tobirama.

(He went bright-red, eye spasming in a tic, bits of silver hair clinging to his clothes, and his voice was shrill, “ _YOU BASTARD!!_ ” while he pointed one finger at them.

No one knew if he was addressing the elder or the younger as he imitated a boiling teapot, incapable of actually forming words to express himself after that insult.)

Izuna crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes at Hashirama, articulating what Madara couldn’t, “Before we can discuss peace, we have something we have to address first.”.

He puffed up, taking a deep breath before throwing a sharp right hook to Hashirama’s jaw, “Your brother is too good for you, you damn JERK!”.

Both sides blinked, a general air of confusion uniting them as a cousin hesitantly spoke up, “Um, Izuna-sama, why . .??”.

Hashirama rubbed his jaw as he straightened, looking all kinds of lost, “Whaaaa-?????”, but Madara steam-rolled right over anything he could say, “WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING, YOU DUMB BASTARD, LETTING HIM GO INTO ENEMY TERRITORY ALONE AND EXHAUSTED??”.

That Hashirama still didn’t have a clue, just sent Madara’s voice higher and louder, “ _FIRST HE’S IZUNA’S FRIEND, SPENDING TIME WITH SOMEONE HE KNOWS IS AN ENEMY SHINOBI. THEN HE HELPS KEEP MY BROTHERS FED OVER WINTER. THEN HE HEALS KEI FROM THE EDGE OF DEATH WITH NO ASSURANCE THAT HE WOULD MAKE IT ALIVE THAT FAR._ ”.

He flailed his arms, not seeming to notice how everyone had stepped at least a few steps back, “ _WHY THE FUCK DIDN’T YOU STOP HIM?!_ ”.

(It was up in the air if the backing away was because of the sheer _volume_ and _pitch_ Madara was yelling at, or if it was to get out of range of his arms.)

Hashirama’s eyes were wide, his mouth opening and closing without a sound, arms flailing a bit while looking between Tobirama and the four Uchiha, “ _???????????????!!!!_ ”.

(Tōka’s eyes narrowed and her voice was a shriek as she grabbed Tobirama by the front of his armor and started shaking him, “ _YOU DID **WHAT**!?!_ ”.)

Hashirama let out a sob, “BROTHER!”, flinging himself at Tobirama’s leg and clinging, “WHY-?”.

Kawarama stepped in and was trying to pry Hashirama off his brother as Tōka had been trying to peel him away with her foot to his chest when Madara clocked Hashirama across the face while he was half-prone on the ground still struggling to stay attached to his brother, “Treat your brother better you bastard!”.

(Both sides just watched the exchange, not quite able to believe it was real.

A few on both sides kept trying to see if it was all just a genjutsu.

One Uchiha just seemed completely mystified at the turn of events, having not believed the rumors about the last meeting, muttering to himself seemingly unaware that he was saying it aloud “Madara-sama, _why_ are you telling the Senju head that he’s a bad brother? That’s a strange tactic to take . .”.)

Jun pinched his nose, not so much unable to believe the bad impression Madara was making, as just being _done_.

(He understood now why Tobirama had decided to just _walk away_ during the middle of the last battle, if Madara had been screaming insults and Hashirama was being, well, _Hashirama_ , if this was how he _normally_ acted.

He suddenly had _so much sympathy_ for Tobirama for having a brother like Hashirama.

Madara was troublesome, but at least he wasn’t _Hashirama_.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kei's reaction is next.


	50. Peace Talks: Second Attempt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The eruption of Mt. Kei.

The first attempt at peace talks between Madara and Hashirama wasn’t _quite_ an unmitigated disaster.

(Oh, it was close, so close, but not _quite_.

Despite the violence, blood hadn’t been spilled.

Despite the yelling and the insults, it was less I-hate-you-I’m-going-to-kill-you and more being the uncomfortable and awkward witness to a married couple’s loud spat.)

The _second_ attempt wasn’t any better.

 _Someone_ – it was unclear if it was an Uchiha or a Senju, but it honestly didn’t matter in the long run – made a grumbling comment about how _things_ _were easier when they were at each other’s throats and damn that nudist brat for completely de-railing the last fight_.

(It only mattered because it set Kei off.

It only mattered because Jun was two seconds from _killing_ the _idiot_ , as he’d _barely_ kept a lid on Kei’s anger about the said fight for the last couple of weeks by harassing Madara and _they’d ruined all of his hard work in a single moment_.)

Kei just started yelling right over where Madara and Hashirama were making awkward attempts to address the previous meeting, “ _YOU ARE ALL A BUNCH OF FUCKING BLOOD-THIRSTY BATTLE-BRAINED **IDIOTS**!!”._

His eyes were wide and red-tinted as he pointed one shaking finger at Madara, “ _I EXPECTED BETTER FROM YOU NII-SAN! DREAMING OF PEACE BUT EAGER TO FIGHT THE SENJU!_ ”.

His arms flailed around as he pointed fingers at the Uchiha, “ _CAN’T YOU GET IT THROUGH YOUR THICK HEADS THAT REVENGE BRINGS NOTHING BUT MORE DEATH!?_ ”, and the Senju, “ _EVERYONE CALLS YOU THE CLAN OF LOVE BUT YOU WAGE WAR MORE OFTEN THAN ANYONE BUT US!_ ”.

He turned to where Tōka stood, “ _AND YOU, YOU PALE BASTARD-!_ ”, blinking when there was the very _conspicuous_ absence of Tobirama, his tirade faltering as the other person he wanted to yell at most other than his brother – for creating confusing feelings about fighting the Senju, people he had been content to fight or not fight until his life had been saved by a generations-old enemy – was _gone_ , “Where did he go?”.

(Tobirama, recognizing the wild eyes of an Uchiha running hot with emotions, had tensed, prepared to fight, when Kei had started to _insult_ them. Not launch himself at them or activate the sharingan.

He’d blinked, then smirked at seeing someone _else_ rage at the _idiots_ , before deciding to take _advantage_ of how many of the Senju looked a little shell-shocked to be yelled at by a _Uchiha_ with the phrasing and passion of Hashirama and _his_ irritation. And thus, _not keeping a wary eye on him_.

_He’d seen a little river just on the edge of the clearing they’d come to this time._

_It wasn’t the river he’d helped make – the Senju had unanimously decided to pick a different location than the place of the awkward stalemate, for a reason he didn’t understand, as it had been a good place to battle if it came to that but they’d refused to even_ consider _it – but it was_ still _a fair amount of water._

Plenty _to swim in._

He decided there was no better time to field-test the shunshin than _right then_.)

(Tōka knew _exactly_ where to look.

She saw him slow down enough to be seen again right at the river’s edge, start quickly stripping, before diving into the water.

She looked away before anyone else could follow her gaze, deciding that she’d give him a few minutes uninterrupted as he was still a bit prissy that he’d been denied last time and playing in water always improved his mood.

 _It was too late to stop him anyway,_ he was in the water _. It would take the act of a god to get him_ out _again before_ he _decided to get out_.)


	51. Peace Talks: Third Attempt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to another installment of the soap opera, Peace Talks.

The third attempt didn’t go any better than the previous two attempts.

(Hashirama had been _extra_ clingy the last couple of days and even his usual tactic of throwing sharp things at his brother’s head wasn’t working.

He was proud that he’d given his brother some ridiculous reflexes because, in their pure taijutsu matches, his brother wasn’t lagging so much without using his chakra. _Now_ , he could last at least _three_ minutes instead of _barely_ one.

It was still annoying that not a single one connected. It wore at his already short patience.)

Instead of Kei causing a scene this time, Tobirama caused – _another_ – one.

(Admittedly, his spite was overriding his reason, and so went to strike with exactly what would make his brother look a bigger fool.

That Madara would sputter and flail as well, was a bonus.)

Darting forward once they were all assembled again, Tobirama was suddenly next to Izuna before anyone could even blink, staring directly into his brother’s eyes, before going to wrap his arms around Izuna slowly.

(He wasn’t stupid, if he tried to hug him too quickly, Izuna’s response, as a proper shinobi  _not his brother_ , would be to stab the person.)

(He also did so for the effect.)

Hashirama’s eyes went _wide_.

Then they watered.

He flung himself forward to wrap his arms around Madara’s knees to sob into his stomach, “ _WHERE DID I GO WRONG? DOES TOBIRAMA NO LONGER LOVE ME?!? DOES HE PREFER YOUR BROTHERS TO ME?!?_ ”.

Madara flailed his arms, spluttering wordlessly and starting to sound a bit like a boiling teapot, red eyes glaring _murder_ at Tobirama while _trying to peel a man-leech off him_ , “WHAT THE FUCK!? _HE’S DOING THIS FOR THIS REACTION, YOU GIANT IDIOT!!_ ”.

(It was safe to say that nothing got achieved this try.

 _Other_ than Tobirama’s successful teasing of his brother.)


	52. Accidentally Arranged

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Because I couldn't leave the idea of Tobirama contacting the Uzumaki with the intent of a closer alliance alone.
> 
> Or otherwise known: How Tobirama accidentally arranged a marriage meeting for his elder brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So for those wondering about Izuna - he was the stunned of 'what-are-you-doing-why-what-even-is-going-ON' passivity of complete confusion.  
> Just before it could wear off, Tobirama let him go and then just i/walked away/ while Hashirama wailed and Madara fumed, with Izuna now laughing at his elder brother.

There wasn’t a fourth attempt right away.

(It was decided that, at least, the truce would hold for another month, so they could actually _try_ to get something done the next time by bringing _actual terms of peace_ with them.

So first, they had to _draft_ them and not just come to the awkward agreement that there _would_ be peace.)

(Instead, Tobirama got a response about the _possibility_ of an alliance by marriage with the Uzumaki.

He took it straight to Ume, because he had _no idea_ how to bring up that he _may_ have gotten his brother an arranged marriage by proxy, _if Hashirama impressed the potential Uzumaki spouse when they arrived within the week_.

Ume had _laughed_ at him.

Said only _he_ could ask about an alliance, put marriage on the table and _be surprised_ when the option was taken.)

Instead, they prepared to play hosts for a convoy of Uzumaki.

(Ume had explained to Hashirama that Tobirama had sought a tighter alliance with the Uzumaki in the wake of their father's death, as _no one logical could have ever expected the situation to evolve quite as it had_.

She very carefully didn't mention that marriage was _very much_ on the table as she sent Tobirama to run ahead to meet and escort the Uzumaki convoy.

Forcing Tobirama to _explain in person_ that he wanted a love-match for his brother as much as an alliance for his clan, so _Hashirama didn't know why they'd come_.)

(The Uzumaki that greeted him gave him a smile layered with amusement beneath the polite manners as they’d said that just made things _interesting_.)


	53. Koi Pond

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Madara has a realization.

After the decision that they wouldn’t meet for peace talks for a month ‘to draft terms of peace’, Madara fumed a lot around the small koi pond his mother had tended.

(He knew it really was because most of the clan was _done_ with how attempts to talk kept getting side-railed by either the four Senju brothers or the four Uchiha brothers.

There had been an unspoken but unanimous agreement that they needed a little time to remind themselves that these scenarios were _flukes_ and that most interactions with people _didn’t go like that_.

Even if there had been a lot of long-suffering faces on both sides for every familiar looking scene.

Seeing Tobirama hug Izuna – and be allowed to with only a rolling of his brother’s eyes beyond the stunned confusion at first – _out of spite_ even, followed by Hashirama throwing himself at him with tears, might have been the final straw.)

(He fumed because Izuna and Jun had kicked him out of the drafting of the peace terms after the second time he’d broken into a rant about Hashirama and Tobirama and the ridiculousness of Senju.)

Most of the koi were gone, the largest ones having been sacrificed to feed the clan over the winter, but most of the smaller ones were still there.

Despite himself, this was his preferred place to sulk.

(It had to do entirely with how he could pitch whatever brother was irritating him – Izuna primarily, but Kei on occasion – into the water and watch them fume.

There was also something particularly amusing to watch them sputter and steam – _literally_ steam as the water around them warmed then boiled off their skin if timed right.)

It had been all of two days after the latest ‘attempt’ and he found he couldn’t stop muttering under his breath about Tobirama hugging Izuna.

He was glaring with red eyes out at the water, wishing Tobirama was there just so he could throw _him_ in the water-

A realization hit with all the subtlety of trying to sneak up on a sensor.

(It had occurred to him that for the sake of his sanity, _Tobirama could never visit the Uchiha compound_.

Their pond was deeper than most typical koi ponds, as their mother had sacrificed part of her koi pond as an actual fish pond so they had a store of live fish, with a couple of larger edible water grasses. Most of it was gone right now, leaving the pond fairly empty and bare at the edges to showcase its decent size.

Considering that the Senju had gone swimming in a stream roughly as deep as the pond while everyone was distracted by Kei, _there was no way he_ wouldn’t _swim here_.

_He would strip NAKED AGAIN, RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM._

_THE LAST TIME WAS STILL BURNED INTO HIS RETINA._

_He wasn’t sure if he could witness so much pale skin again._ )

He was moving before the thought had finished forming, yelling for the most level-headed of his brothers, “JUN!!”.

(He _demanded_ that in the terms of the peace that _Tobirama not be allowed on Uchiha land without his permission for the sake of his sanity_.

Kei had smirked, clearly thinking of the _damn shedding_ , until Jun said, “The pond?”. The realization dawned on Kei and he flushed red.)


	54. Foxes and Felines

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I meant Kei, not Kawarama, at the end of the last chapter. Fixed that, but thought I would tell anyone else that caught that and didn't notice the change I made.

Tobirama had worked his way south and east towards the coast to meet the Uzumaki convoy.

He’d sensed when they’d come to a stop and seemed to wait.

(He had not expected to feel a being of unimaginably dense and enormous reserves traveling with the Uzumaki _well_ within his sensing range.)

His approach became cautious, and he’d been preparing himself to fight with everything he had, when in coming through the thinning trees, he’d come across the three Uzumaki sitting at the edge of a hot spring. With a giant fox laying across the lap of one woman not much older than Hashirama with blood red hair.

The sight had halted him in his tracks, because he _knew_ the stories of the bijuu.

(Hashirama knew of them, but _he’d_ investigated into _why_ the war between the Uchiha and the Senju existed – each claiming they were the heir of the Rikudou Sennin, descended from his sons – and thus thought it _stupid_ that they’d each laid waste to generations of both clans just because the other made a _claim_ to be descended from a son, like such a thing meant anything other than a bragging point at this point. He knew the Sage had been the original jinchuuriki, sealing the legendary _Jyuubi_ inside himself, and then upon his death, had sealed the body in the moon and split the massive amount of chakra into nine bodies – the nine bijuu.

He may not have immediately recognized the chakra of a bijuu without prior contact with one, but he could recognize the unearthly appearance of something more properly recognized as the origin of all _kitsune_ myths. Particularly with the sheer _size_ of the fox, easily as big as a wild wolf, with the crimson-orange fur of the sun at sunset and eyes the color of freshly spilt blood, smiling with a mouth full of sharp teeth that claimed to be _nothing_ _but_ _pure predator_ as it eyed him, one tail swinging lazily until before he knew it, he saw _nine_ of them.)

 _He did_ not _expect to find one laying across the lap of a woman_ almost _like a pet_.

He stood uncomprehendingly in front of the small party for a long second, then quickly approached, crouching as he peered better at the _Kyuubi_ , “Hm, from all the stories, I was expecting to be able to detect you from over a continent away, but I should have expected that from all the _other_ stories about your skill at deceit and illusion, it would mean you had found a way to hide your chakra from most people’s senses unless you meant them to know.”.

The woman with her long hair in two pig-tails on either side of her hair laughed even as she was swatted by the woman behind her for moving, “I’m not surprised that you could figure it out.”, as she was separating the left pig-tail into four and the right into five sections, “After all, you have quite the reputation, Senju Tobirama,”, slipping small rings of crystal and blessed rope charms up to their bases, “for seeing what the ordinary do not.“, before twisting and coiling the two sides into two buns, to be kept in place by a pair of fox-shaped jade hairpins with a pair of master-level seals hanging from them.

(He had to admire how sharp her smile was with a _special_ type of threat that said she could rip out his throat with her teeth and she could _convince_ everyone it was _just_ her lipstick _and they would believe her_.)

(He could also recognize a kindred soul; She was as much _wild_ as he. Only one closer in line to the creature over her lap.)

The _kitsune_ gave a similar smile as the woman – or was it more accurate that the woman gave a similar smile as the bijuu? – “ ** _State your business, Senju._** ”.

(If he’d been anyone else, he would have pinked as he uncomfortably explained why he’d rushed to meet them off Senju land.

He just ignored how he could feel the tips of his ears warm, and the amused glint in the eyes of the Uzumaki woman.

And how the _kitsune_ barked out a laugh, “ ** _You’re a special snowflake, kit!_** ”.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So . . The Kyuubi.  
> (Would you believe I was just going to put somebody else, then thought 'hm, you know that can't be the only bijuu that would be like - that human is like one of mine, I feel the need to hang about.'? So, Kyuubi.)


	55. Can't Fool a Fox

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More of the Unholy Alliance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Term just started Monday for me. I i/meant/ to post this two days ago, but . . yeah, it didn't happen.

The Uzumaki woman was not inclined to leave the hot spring in a rush despite his fidgeting.

(It was _water_ – _warm water_ at that, so he wanted to jump in with every fiber of his being.

Only, the Uzumaki were present.

He’d been whacked by Toka enough times for trying to treat women different than men – so didn’t hold back his natural behavior by their presence. But he’d learned from watching his mother that women were to be treated with awe and respect unless they did something to lose it – so he could treat allies with chivalry, and thus aware that men did not go swimming with women unless invited.

But, he also had next to no shame – so he had no compunctions about just stripping then and there and diving in.

Only, he didn’t want to sully their opinion of the Senju. This alliance could be vital if the alliance with the Uchiha fell through.

The few Senju whose opinion mattered to him had learned to roll with any quirks he had – or were learning despite their tree trunk thick skulls in the case of his elder brother. The rest could suffer in his opinion.

The Uchiha had been his enemies – now tentative allies – so their opinion couldn’t get worse of him.

It was also _way_ too entertaining to stop when they turned bright red when he _did_ strip. Izuna and Madara’s reactions were _priceless_. It was also _far_ too amusing to realize that the Uchiha as a whole were a bit prudish despite being a clan of shinobi.

So, he held back, but unable to help how his gaze kept drifting longingly to the water as he perched high on the rock outcropping, trying to relax in the sunlight as he fell back on old habits of keeping watch.

Even when he heavily suspected at least one of the Uzumaki here was a sensor as well and thus keeping watch was pointless.

Instead, he fidgeted restlessly while he waited for the Uzumaki to decide to leave.)

(He was aware that he was being watched – both the _Kyuubi_ and the Uzumaki woman were _less_ than subtle about it.

He was also well aware that they weren’t bothering to hide their gazes.

He was less aware of what the two _saw_ when they looked at him.)

The woman reclined back in the water, and she wore as little as he did when wet, a lazy grin curling her dark-painted lips, “So, Senju-san, why do you remain over there? The water is warm.”.

His back stiffened nearly unnoticeably, and he refrained from glancing back at the water, “I would rather be ready to leave at a moment’s notice. While we have tentatively agreed to peace with the Uchiha, the Senju still have many enemies.”.

Her eyes were half-lidded as she continued to grin, not needing to say aloud, _there is a bijuu in our company, what do we have to fear?_

(Tobirama nearly pointed out that _we should fear BECAUSE there’s a bijuu in our company_.

He understood her point though.)

He chose to recline back further in the sunlight, pointedly with his gaze _away_ from the water, and felt a chill go down his spine at her bark of laughter, “Oh, you’re _definitely_ a cat.”.

(He had the sudden and _intense_ feeling that _anything_ that amused the Uzumaki woman was _not_ good.

He would find out at another time if this was just directed at him, or if _others_ would also suffer under her humor.)

He blinked, “What?”.

(Mito figured it out _very_ quickly.)


	56. The Lost Children of

Tobirama couldn’t keep his eyes off how the _kitsune_ ran at Mito’s side as he led her towards the Senju compound.

(It just _boggled_ his mind that a _bijuu_ would act like a summon, or a nin-trained animal.

It made him a little uncomfortable because the _Kyuubi_ made him think of Kouki and how he’d acted at his mother’s side.)

(Mito saw how he was _nearly_ unnoticeably, rubbing his cheek against the fur around his collar while glancing at the fox running between them, something nostalgic in his gaze.)

She spoke up in the comfortable quiet, “Do you have a summons, Tobirama-san?”.

He blinked at the sudden conversation, but answered, “No.”.

Her eyes were knowing as she flicked them towards the _kitsune_ , “Chief summons regularly show up to those they think are just one of their children,”, an amused light in them, “ _lost_.”.

He scowled at her continued insinuation that he was a _cat_ , before speaking, “So you would claim that the fox running at your side is _just_ a chief summon?”. _Who would believe that?_

She quirked the corner of her lips in an enigmatic smile, “The fox contract has been exclusively among the Uzumaki since it was found. The chief summon answers to few even among the Uzumaki.”. _Who can challenge that which no one can confirm?_

He narrowed his eyes at her slightly, “You would imply that any of the summon contracts could reveal a route to one like the fox here.”. _Do you realize what could happen if any of the other bijuu are found this way?_

The grin sharpened to something _blatantly_ dangerous, “It’s good then that most bijuu don’t take on a shape easily identified as a close cousin to normal summons.”.

The _Kyuubi_ shared that grin, “ ** _There are no others like_ me**.”.


	57. The Cat's not the only Dramatic in the Family

All things considered, the arrival of the Uzumaki to the Senju compound was as _dramatic_ as Tobirama was expecting.

(Meaning, that a few of the wiser shinobi stiffened at the sight of the fox trotting at Mito’s side, and the elders had shown up trying to be pompous.

Then there was Toka’s open awe as Mito managed to turn the words of two of the elders back on them with that viciously polite smile.

Then, there was, of course, _Hashirama_.)

Hashirama got one look at Mito, straightened, took one decisive, determined step forward, tripped over nothing, and landed sprawled in front of her with a dopey, shy smile, “I would ask if it hurt when you fell from the heavens, hime, but I think I fell for you.”.

(Tobirama _left_ then. Just because he hadn’t expected any better, didn’t mean he would witness his brother crash and burn after he put in all the effort to get them there.

Leaving Itama to bang his head against the wall, muttering under his breathe about _of all the things you could say that means you think she’s pretty, you say that awful pun of a pick-up line_.

Kawarama just smacked a hand over his eyes and looked beseechingly up, _and THIS is my elder brother?_ )

(Mito just smiled, offering a hand to help him up, and if the only one to see how her eyes softened was the _Kyuubi_ at her side, that was their business.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may, or may not, be a bit pre-occupied with the idea of a Dark Matter AU with the founders. The idea came to me Friday, and it refused to be dropped until it was started. (Or finished. It i/really/ wants to be written.)  
> X)
> 
> Also, it is in my opinion, Hashirama is DEFINITELY the one in the family that thinks cheesy, pun-ny pick-up lines are cool.


	58. Mothering Tendencies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Or otherwise known as: How Madara tried to do things, and found himself with little followers of the animal kind.

Madara _didn’t know_ how things had devolved like _this_.

(He remembered _distinctly_ that a distant cousin had had a litter of kittens be born in the half-moon since the last ‘peace talk’.

He remembered thinking most were adorable – other than the little she-devil that had become rather attached to Izuna and liked to climb up _his_ hair to knead his skull while Izuna snickered at him.

He remembered Izuna pleading to be able to keep _it_.

He remembered very blatantly refusing.

 _Yet the little monster followed him around like he was her mother_.)

(He remembered _distinctly_ going the opposite way of the river to the edges of their territory – after depositing his little stalker and a glare with Izuna – remembering that last spring a hawk had nested in the high trees in that direction. He’d been planning to see if she had returned, and whether or not he could co-op one of the eggs to raise.

Only to find that due to Tobirama’s re-enforcing a stream to make it into a small river, that the barely-there stream in the area had developed into a ‘small’ pond. Small being relative as it was easily as large as the clan koi pond and had enveloped the bases of several trees in its formation.

As such, the hawk seemed to have moved her nest – because the tree the previous year’s nest was in was now lilting to the side dramatically – and he found himself cursing out Tobirama then and there.

_Because it was that damn cat’s fault!_

Then he stomped back the way he’d come, unaware for a good ten minutes of his little followers.

Even once he was aware, nothing he did seemed to scare off the little troop of ducklings for long.)

He was growling out, _Not. One. Word._ to Izuna and Kei as he stomped back onto the compound, when the little she-devil marched herself to the front of his little line of followers. Then promptly lead the charge that had him tripping over them to face-plant on the ground, so they could climb up his fuming body and curl up in his hair, on his neck, in the dips of his spine, half-under his arms, _in his damn clothes_.

He was sputtering indignantly when Jun pointedly raised an eyebrow and commented blandly, “Why am I not surprised your mothering tendencies have evolved to beyond your blood to include baby animals?”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone interested in the previously mentioned Dark Matter AU? I posted the first bit on tumblr under the same username regardless, but if anyone wants, I can put what I have up.


	59. Curiousity Killed the Cat

Tōka tried to contain her snickering, but as that failed, was trying to muffle it. For Mito’s sake.

(If it had been anyone else needing to be chaperoned for Hashirama’s first outing as a potential suitor, she would have either just outrighted _laughed_ until Hashirama left, or _laughed the entire awkward outing_.

As it was, it was only because it had been Tobirama who had awkwardly asked her to chaperone that she’d even considered. Mostly because there had been a faint dusting of red across his face as he’d explained that he thought if Mito approved of Hashirama _at all_ , she would be _very forward_ in her advances. She’d laughed at how awkward he got discussing _that_ , because Mito _wasn’t_ civilian, she had no qualms with sleeping with somebody, not to mention she’d seen the covert looks the other woman gave Hashirama that said _she would totally tap that,_ and _that meant Hashirama would have a sex life_.

Then she’d winced because _that meant Hashirama would have a sex life_ , and _eww, she’d helped raise him_.

And, it was only because it was _Mito_ , that she agreed to chaperone. Mostly because Mito was _patently awesome_. A fantastic kunoichi considering that eighty percent of what they knew about her was resulting of the one outright conflict the Uzumaki had engaged in within the last ten years, and her _decimating_ her opponents, so most of her skills were a mystery. And because she was _in awe_ of the other woman’s ability to be deadly and feminine all at once while also being fully capable of bashing heads together forcibly – she’d seen the woman join Tobirama in the pond, and the woman was _fit_.)

It didn’t mean that she didn’t break out in fresh snickers when she managed to glance to the side at _just_ the right angle to see Tobirama peer out intently from their pond as Hashirama, in a total abuse of his rare ability, had the cherry trees on the edge of their compound bloom a little prematurely for a private viewing.

(He was being fairly sneaky considering his coloring, but she’d known he’d be _curious_ and thus was looking for him.)


	60. Canid Courtship

Tobirama was not much amused by how Hashirama, politely and kindly, told him to stop barging in on how he was trying to court Mito.

(He’d snorted the first time Hashirama had tried to tell him this, as not even three days after he’d _met_ her, he’d asked for advice no less than twenty times an hour.

It had gotten old quickly having to knock down 97% of his ideas for being over-the-top and straight-up embarrassing, for more tempered ideas.

The less said about the attempt to grow a flower that matched the color of Mito’s eyes, other than how Kawarama had gleefully helped him burn it dead with _extreme prejudice_ when it had developed a level of sentience and taste for blood, the better.

Though he was particularly proud of his carved mezereon hair-pin idea. As it would tell Mito all sorts of things regarding his brother’s personality.)

 _Apparently_ , Hashirama did not appreciate how not only he had Tōka chaperoning him at his behest, and thus laughing at him the entire outing, but how he hung about nearby to see how things went.

(Mito just seemed to find the whole situation _amusing_ , if her little smirk in the background said anything.

Then she’d gone from indulgent to outright _Terrifying_ in two seconds flat as she’d layered minute amounts of killing intent over her polite smile and asked with perfect manners that he please stop intruding and that a chaperone was unnecessary.

He took one look at her, saw how she twitched her fingertips towards where she kept sleeping darts hidden in her fan, and in the manner universal across animals and shinobi, backed down from how he’d been about to refuse Hashirama’s ‘request’ by a pointed look away and keeping quiet.

He could acknowledge that some fights were not worth fighting and some people were not adversaries you wanted. Fighting _Mito_ on _this_ was not worth it.)

Choosing to stay behind when Mito choose their next outing was something of a strategic retreat in deference to Mito, _not_ his giant puppy of a brother who’d eagerly followed after his crush.

(It did not mean that he had any shame about carefully redirecting the duty of keeping a distant eye on their chakra signatures to the Uzumaki sensor before blunting _his_ senses by searching out the _Kyuubi_ and basking in the blinding fox-fire of their chakra.)


	61. Satisfying the Cat's Curiosity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> T'is was sick Wednesday evening until about mid-day Sunday. No motivation and drain of energy as well as nauseous. I blame the fact that everyone at work and school is getting sick and passing it along.  
> I am much better now.

Tobirama spent a lot of time with the _Kyuubi_ while Hashirama and Mito were in the beginning steps of their courtship.

(The only reason why he hadn’t been sharingan red when Hashirama came back after that first outing with Mito and no chaperone was that he’d been giving that blindingly bright _innocent_ smile as he chattered on at them with how Mito had taken him out to a river and they’d sparred.

He’d risked a glance at Mito, saw how wide her smile was and the way she watched Hashirama’s back while he was still half-soaked, and very quickly looked away.

It was only how her eyes were soft as she met his while they listened to Hashirama all but _gush_ about how he thought Mito was _awesome and fierce and terrifyingly beautiful_ , that he didn’t regret arranging this.

The regret being, being the one to basically ensure he would be giving his _brother_ a wife and ensuring he’d have _sex._ )

The first few times were quiet, not so much him biting his tongue, but thinking about which questions would actually likely get answered and not be _stupid_.

(No, Kawarama, he would _not_ ask the _Kyuubi_ if his favorite food was _kitsune udon._ )

Despite himself, he _did_ ask what the _Kyuubi_ ’s favorite food was the second time they met up.

(Because, and he would deny this for all time, there was little he could deny his younger brothers – or children period.)

He’d blinked a few times at how the fox had all but been drooling as he said his favorite food was the same as the Uzumaki’s food addiction.

He would have asked what _that_ was, but he’d seen how every couple of days, the Uzumaki entourage would have ramen.

(Out of _curiosity_ , he’d sought out a ramen stand from the next civilian town over, and brought some back for the bijuu.

In the span of a few quick blinks, the fox had descended on the noodles and meat broth and devoured it, quickly snapping up the _naruto_ , and slurped the broth. Then he had rolled onto his side into his hip, pressing along the side of his leg with his head laying over his thigh, and looked as blissed out as a cat on catnip.

For giving him such an _informative_ question despite how stupid it had felt to ask, he’d given Kawarama directions on how to do the Fireball Jutsu. And despite having to put out three fires in an hour, he didn’t regret rewarding his younger brother.)

Then he’d started asking the _real_ questions.

By the time the month before the next attempt at peace talks concluded, Tobirama had managed to feel out a whole worth of valuable information about the bijuu.

(The bijuu, after they’d formed with the sealing of the Jyuubi, had all developed a Purpose.

The _Ichibi_ sought out madness, and could cause it just as well as he could cure it; The _Nibi_ walked the fine line between life and death, and punished those that disrespected the dead; The _Sanbi_ was attracted by loneliness and the desire to help, and often sought to alleviate that; The _Yonbi_ looked only for respect and honor, punishing those without either; The _Gobi_ was attracted to innocence, and would protect it but was typically pacifistic; The _Rokubi_ was kind-hearted and would only approach those that had good intentions but little desire for fighting; The _Shichibi_ was a being of luck, and it was truly chance and extreme luck that brought it around from where it flittered about aimlessly; The _Hachibi_ was no-nonsense and all about hard-work and their word being worth something.

The _Kyuubi_ was about righteousness and eradicating evil.)

It had given him a whole new outlook regarding the bijuu.

(And led him to ask lots of questions about the Sage, and his sons, and the origin of the conflict between the Senju and Uchiha.

Most of which were answered, in regards to the Sage – after he got the _kitsune_ more ramen and sake than he’d think a creature his size could eat or drink without keeling over from the salt content and alcohol poisoning.

Next to nothing could get him talk about Indra and Ashura – other than a brief comment of **_that fool you call your brother is a lot like your ancestor Ashura_** – and he denied having any real knowledge of the conflict other than it being caused by ** _petty mortal reasons and breaking of promises with lies and death_**.)

The _Kyuubi_ ended up laughing at him a lot with Tōka as his cousin decided to spread the love by telling a thousands-of-years-old bijuu every single one of his most embarrassing moments over sake most evenings when he was trying to ask questions.

(Tōka was a _menace_ when she wasn’t kept preoccupied with war.

He loved that she had the opportunity to think of other things, but _oh how he hated_ her cashing in on her nebulous big sister/mother/cousin, has-been-around-since-before-you-were-born-and-remembers-every-single-mistake-you’ve-ever-made status.)


	62. Choose your battle wisely

Despite the holding peace between the Uchiha and the Senju at the moment, they were still shinobi clans and had clients.

Despite that everyone was onboard with Hashirama courting Mito – with the fact that they were more-or-less engaged as they were courting, even as a formal contract was drawn up as necessary for two high-ranking clan members potentially getting married and thus forming an alliance with their clans – there were still jobs that only Hashirama, with his inordinate amount of chakra and unique ability, could do and thus had to leave the compound.

It wouldn’t be a terribly long or far away job – just revitalizing part of the nearby countryside so that a recent wildfire that destroyed most of the forest a village relied on for their livelihood could go on with their lives. It just still meant that he’d be gone for a few days at the worst, while still well within Tobirama’s sensing range.

(Tobirama had felt a chill go down his spine when he’d sensed Tōka approach the elders _of her own volition_ , and _not_ heard screaming and breaking things.

The smart man that he was, he said nothing about his suspicions about Hashirama’s sudden mission when she’d been smiling.)

It didn’t mean that he didn’t try to make himself scarce when Tōka had smiled and looked at Mito and asked if she wanted to have tea with her.

(Being the fastest man alive meant nothing when faced with Tōka and how it _was not worth it_ to pull out all the stops to escape when she would just make his life hell later for it.

It just meant that he had time to choose his own relaxing clothes before she demanded that he put away his armor for _tea_.)

She was even _kind_ enough to let him choose the tea and allowed him to steep it until proper potency as she caught him between her and Mito.

(Because as much as she laughed when he muttered she was a cruel woman, she wasn’t _evil_.)

And made him listen to them giggle over Tōka recounting each and every one of Hashirama’s most embarrassing moments since he was born.

(A good few of them starring him as well due to his unfortunate relation to the giant goof.)


	63. Pounce

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a requested scene I'm VERY pleased to deliver.
> 
> I hope the HOLy cRAp and MY PrECIoUS moments comes across well.

Kawarama became the favorite brother when he burst in on their little tea session and pleaded _Tobi-nii needs to teach me more fire jutsu_ and managed to drag him out of there before Tōka was able to protest.

(He may have decided that Kawarama had earned himself another Uchiha katon for helping him out again.

And Kawarama was definitely the favorite brother – it wasn’t fair that Hashirama had picked up on how if he got Mito on board with his shenanigans, he caved to his demands. He could be happy that at least _those_ demands weren’t outright ridiculous because _Mito_ had to agree with them as well, but he feared when Mito got on board with the _wouldn’t-Tobirama-look-cute/adorable/wonderful-with_.

The smart man feared the day that woman suggested the idea of dressing him up to Hashirama.)

He promised Kawarama that _yes, I will_ , and he fled the compound before Tōka caught on about the rescue.

Fled all the way to the river where he could sense Izuna.

He didn’t slow down until he was across the water on Izuna’s side.

Between one blink and the next as Izuna was munching on dried mackerel, Tobirama was there, lounging in a sunbeam, looking like he had been there for hours.

Izuna paused with the fish to his mouth to raise an eyebrow at Tobirama, too tired to be startled at the sudden appearance – if he’d had more energy maybe he would have flailed and screeched at the sudden appearance of the pale bastard, but he was exhausted. He’d been hounded all day and night for the last three days about details of his friendship/rivalry with the ‘pale one’ so the elders could use it to get the better deal in the drafted treaty.

Slowly, lazily, disinterest in every line of his body, Tobirama turned his head just enough for his own eyebrow raise to be seen.

It became a stare-off – neither willing to be the first to look away so the other could gloat – eyes narrowing with their intense focus and will to not blink.

(It was a sign of trust ultimately, that Tobirama wouldn’t look away from his eyes despite having years of training to do exactly not that or risk getting caught in the sharingan’s gaze.

It was also partially his own obstinance as he held eye contact with everyone he was addressing, and was smug at how he was always the last to look away.

Tōka blamed how he got a perverse thrill at holding intense eye contact for uncomfortably long periods on that due to his red eyes, few of the clan would look him in the eye out of reflex and thus when he had it, he was loathe to give it up.)

Then Izuna lifted his last piece of dried fish to his mouth, and with a loud crunch, ate it – without looking away.

(He noted the exact moment Tobirama saw the fish, because the other teen didn’t hesitate to look at it with the same level of focus he’d previously been holding uncomfortable eye contact.

He noted it because it had made the previous stare-off look like nothing compared to the abrupt intense gaze given to the fish as he chewed and swallowed, before it flicked to the bare cloth on his lap it had come from.

He noted it because Tobirama was _pouting_ at the sudden lack of fish.)

Tobirama went back to lounging, his back turned to Izuna and raised high enough to block the sun from landing on Izuna despite – or because of – Izuna’s protests, “Hey!”, lazily flicking his wrist and making nearby pebbles skip across the river to the other shore.

Izuna narrowed his eyes, hands filling with sand as he thought _let’s see how the giant cat likes this-!_ when his brother popped out of the wood, “Izuna!”.

It startled him enough that he dropped the sand – onto his lap, “Fuck!”, quickly standing and trying to dust himself off, fully aware of the smug air Tobirama was quick to adopt at how that had backfired.

Madara frowned, looked between them, suspicious, then handed over why he’d come out to the river when he knew Izuna had run here to hide away from the clan for a while, “Here, have your lunch.”, almost shoving it into Izuna’s hands with the intent of stomping off before he engaged the giant cat and found himself with hair _everywhere_ again.

( _Almost_ because Tobirama had been lazily watching, saw the bento, then smelt the freshly fried fish.)

Before any of them could do more than blink, Tobirama had straightened with an intense gaze on the bento, then _pounced_.

Madara flailed as he was shoved to the ground, “Wha-!”, all the air escaping his lungs when Tobirama sat on him for a moment while the sun made his white hair look like a glistening halo around his head, before the bento was snatched out of his hands, and Tobirama was _gone._

Both Uchiha blinked, then blinked again, before Madara screamed, “What the ever-living fuck just fucking happened!?”, and made the nearby birds scatter with the volume.


	64. Bath Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also another suggestion I'm pleased to deliver. XD
> 
> Cameo by a favorite Senju Elder too!

Hashirama returned to the Senju compound to a _sight_.

(He was covered in dirt, sweaty, and tired – exhausted both physically and in chakra after spending all day of using his mokouton _extensively_ and with _precision_.

He’d been intending to go straight to his rooms, hoping that Tobirama had told someone he was nearly back so that they would heat up hot bath water for him and that it would be warm by now.

Only to be treated to _this_.)

He’d paused in his rush across the grounds, past the pond where his brother could often be found lounging, when he’d spotted red.

He’d done a double-take, to know if it was Mito or her _fox_ , not sure which he would have preferred when it meant the woman of his dreams would have seen him a _mess_ – to run smack-dab into a _tree_ as he saw it was _Mito._

 _Naked_ , lounging in Tobirama’s pond with his brother next to her as he smugly ate from a bento.

(He would later wonder how his brother was able to be _smug_ eating a pair of rice balls with fried mackerel, would have the thought that it made him look a _lot_ like the cat that caught the canary, but decided it was a _Tobirama_ Thing he would never quite understand.

He bluntly _ignored_ the uchiwa on the dark blue cloth he’d made into a headband to keep his bangs out of his face without his happuri.)

He went as red as Mito’s lovely unbound hair, eyes quickly fixing somewhere above her head at the sight of cream colored mounds just below the surface of the water, and the nosebleed was as much the fault of _them_ as it was his run-in with the tree.

Both of them – while Tōka, lounging against a tree behind them with Mito’s giant fox sprawled across her lap, _laughed so hard there were tears in her eyes_ – raised an eyebrow at the trickle of blood from his nose.

He colored brighter at the knowing sparkle in their eyes, and their matching smirks – ignoring the fox’s **_Heh, did someone’s balls finally drop?_** beyond his sputter – before his brother flicked a hand and a wave of water fell on top of their laughing cousin and the cackling canid, a green tint to his face at the imagery.

The two sputtered, both narrowing their eyes at how they were _soaked_ , before Tōka said, “This means war, little cousin.”, and left with a drowned-cat-looking fox on her heels.

(Tobirama raised an eyebrow, and gave a bit of a smirk as that had been half the _intent_ of that – and having the _absolute_ intention of making sure to spread the _love_ around to certain Uchiha as well now that he’d succeeded.

Hashirama shivered at that smirk, and the _look_ on Tōka’s face.)

Mito leaned back, appearing completely unconcerned at the idea of a _prank war_ between Tōka and _the nine-tailed fox_ , and Tobirama, and looked Hashirama in the eyes when his gaze dropped enough to be caught, “Come join us, Hashirama.”.

He colored again, having lost some of it in fear of the coming prank war, stuttering, “B-b-but-“.

Tobirama sighed, “Aniki, get in the water.”.

Hashirama looked at his brother, saw him narrowing his eyes and slowly raising a hand in the same motion that had soaked Tōka, and quickly stripped to his pants and got in the pond.

(He may have been beaming bright enough to rival the sun when it clicked that Tobirama had called him _aniki_.)

He had to blink a couple of times when it registered that the pond had gotten deep enough that sitting down on the smooth rock beside his brother, the water easily came up to his collarbones.

Ume, having heard that Hashirama had returned – something they all had sensed because their young clan head had _bright_ chakra that was hard to miss even when they weren’t looking for it, but verbal confirmation had come from the compound gate guards – had went to see why it was taking so long for him to report on his mission. She’d opened her mouth to remind him that it was best to report when a mission was still fresh in mind, when what she was seeing caught up to her.

She blinked, blinked again at the sight of Hashirama, Tobirama, and Mito, all naked – or as close as naked because she was _pretty sure_ they were all at least wearing pants – in Tobirama’s pond.

Before Hashirama could do more than stutter out, “I-it-t’s n-“, while flushed a shade comparable to Mito’s hair, she held up a hand, “Stop while you’re ahead. It’s _exactly_ what it looks like.”, turned around and left, “I’m not dealing with this. You have maybe another five minutes before the rest of the Elders try to corner you for how your mission went. Enjoy that time before you cause at least one to faint for hope.”.

(She side-eyed Tobirama just before she was out of sight, “Do a better job of hiding your amusement at the image of that, boy. Before they turn their rabid eagerness at potential babies from your brother onto you.”, smirking as he lost a little of the color he had.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey look! Hashirama i/almost/ figures things out.  
> Then immediately dismisses it as a Tobirama Thing. . . He's not wrong.


	65. Prank War Casualty

Hashirama did his best to ignore the prank war between Tōka and Tobirama, with Mito’s summon gleefully adding to the chaos.

(Did his best to stay clear of when his brother set up mud traps for Tōka to fall into.

Did his best to stay clear when Tōka changed all the labels of his brother’s tea.

Did his best to stay clear when his brother scattered her things all around the compound.

Did his best to stay clear when Tōka did her best to color Tobirama’s hair with pelted berries.)

He’d long ago learned to not get involved unless necessary after waking up made up like a geisha, wearing one of his mother’s nicer kimonos, and addressed as ‘my lady’ for half a day even after he’d changed and cleaned up.

(He didn’t realize that the two of them had agreed to end their little feud this day, the day before the next attempt at peace talks, too busy trying to evade how Tōka managed to tamper with his food in an attempt to get at Tobirama after he’d just eaten solely from his plate to prevent such a thing.)

He’d been pouting next to Mito as she drank some of Tobirama’s tea, sulking after his latest failure and find that Tōka had managed to get soy sauce in _his_ tea, when Kawarama had popped around the corner, saw him and _beamed_ , “Aniki!”

Hashirama had returned that smile, “Kawarama!”, not thinking about _why_ Kawarama would be happy to see him after he’d spent the last day or so practicing non-stop the jutsu Tobirama had given him.

He was up and walking towards Kawarama, smile wide, when Kawarama rocked on his heels, “Nii-san, want to see the jutsu Tobi-nii gave me yesterday?”, all but bouncing around in his eagerness.

He didn’t pause to think about _what kind_ of jutsu Tobirama had been giving Kawarama recently, nodding quickly with Kawarama’s contagious excitement.

(He certainly didn’t see Kawarama smirk as his hands moved quickly through hand-signs he _knew, “Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!_ ”.)

His eyes went wide as he slammed his hands down onto the ground, raising up a wall of wood between him and Kawarama, yelping when he wasn’t fast enough to escape unscathed.


	66. Burned Off Hair

Hashirama was sulking when Tobirama went to drag him along to join the rest of the Senju delegation, pouting with his hands over his face, “Go on without me! You must! I can’t let Madara see me like this!”.

(As such, he did not see the smirk on Tobirama’s face – because he knew _exactly_ why his brother was being more dramatic than usual. It had been no _coincidence_ that Kawarama went to show-off a fire jutsu to their elder brother.)

Mito, at his shoulder, looking better than all of them even as she was helped to pin her hair up in buns, with poison-coated senbon holding them up and seals dangling from those, gave a deadpan look, “Hashirama,”.

He peeked through his fingers, saw both his lady love and her cousin giving him similar looks that said they would not hesitate to dress him up as they deemed fit, and was quick to stand.

Both Mito and Tobirama didn’t say a word about how he no longer had eyebrows – but Tōka had none of their composure and broke out laughing.

He pouted, but wasn’t allowed to return to his sulking as his brother handed him clothes, most notably without the armor that had been insisted on with previous attempts.

(It was enough to stop him from squatting in a corner, pouting at how everyone kept laughing about his lack of eyebrows, to _beam_.)

He didn’t see how the literal brightening of his smile made Tobirama’s eye twitch.

He was already lunging forward, blubbering with happy tears, “You think this can succeed!”.

In the space between one watery blink and the next, his brother was _gone_.

(He was pouting even as Mito smiled – and a shiver went down his spine at how he noticed now that her canines were just a tad bit more developed as he was _close_ – close enough for her to lay one heavy hand on his shoulder, killing intent finely twisted around her polite words, “If we are _late_ , I will not have a husband in the spring.”, before she pressed her crimson lips to his forehead, “Now hurry.”.)


	67. Madara meets Mito

Unlike the previous attempts, the Senju and Uchiha met off what could easily be a battle _field_ , and at a civilian tea house.

The proprietor’s eyes had gone wide at the sight of the giant fox walking at Mito’s side, who had been grinning with sharp teeth at the blatantly staring trio of Uchiha, looked between the aloof-looking Tobirama, the snickering Tōka, the beaming Hashirama, and the three Uchiha with their red-tinted eyes.

He was quick to lead them into the building, and even quicker to fetch a hot pot of tea.

Once he was gone, the third Uchiha, Hikaku, started, “Before we start discussing terms of a peace between the Uchiha and the Senju, what reason can be given for the presence of an Uzumaki?”.

She smiled, and without the slightest hint of teeth, she left the impression that was all her smile was, “I am marrying into the Senju. Before the death of the previous head of the family, the Uzumaki were approached about the possibility of an alliance by marriage. We are currently in the midst of finalizing terms – a wedding will likely occur once the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. I am not here as an Uzumaki, but as the Lady of the Senju.”

Madara’s eyes narrowed at her, and he opened his mouth, but before he could get a word out, a hand was slapped across it.

There was a general consensus to ignore how Izuna had shut his brother up, “Don’t fucking start,” as well as Madara’s show of immaturity in licking his brother’s hand, “Ew!”.

Madara looked smug even as his smile promised his brother that he would be taking a one-way trip into a pond in the near future, before he continued glaring at Mito.

His glare intensified as she didn’t so much blink at Tobirama scratching behind the back of the fox’s ears, “You’re marrying which brother?”.

Hashirama _beamed_ , “I’m the lucky man!”.

Tobirama casually shoved him to the side as he blinked rapidly to clear the sunspots of his brother’s happiness across his senses.

Hikaku blinked a couple of times in confusion as between one second and the next, Hashirama was sitting then he was a good ten feet away on his back – it caused him to miss how Mito’s lips quirked up and her eyes glittered as she processed Madara’s subtle relaxation at hearing she was marrying _Hashirama_.

Madara stiffened at her amusement, before glaring suspiciously.

(His first and immediate feelings toward the Woman was dislike upon meeting her.

The feeling didn’t fade any at coming to know her.)

 _Izuna_ wasn’t paying any of _them_ any attention as he stared at Tōka, struck deaf and dumb by the sight that he had thought he’d made her up – particularly as she casually hauled her cousin back up on his feet with one hand without standing, and looking _beautiful_ as she did so.


	68. Teacups & Questions about Eyebrows

Hikaku was the one to bring it up, awkwardly coughing to get Hashirama’s attention away from where he was happily listing every trait about Mito that he loved to Madara, “So, what happened to your eyebrows?”.

Madara blinked, turned some to get a better look at his friend instead of making faces at the wall after the third listing of ‘ _she’s so smart, so beautiful, I’m so lucky to have the attention of a princess even for a moment’_ , eyes narrowing as he flicked dark brown bangs aside to see penciled-on eyebrows.

There was a moment of silence as the three Uchiha took in the very familiar looking pink skin and lack of hair.

Izuna’s chin wavered but Madara was the one that pointed a finger in Hashirama’s face, and started laughing loudly, “Your face! Somebody burned off your eyebrows!!”

Izuna joined him a moment later at catching sight of the smug glitter to Tobirama’s eyes.

Tōka, who had only been keeping her composure only by virtue of not looking in her cousin’s direction on the strict order of Mito, didn’t resist joining in.

Hashirama’s face was a whirlwind of expressions; pout, sad-pout, watery-pleading eyes thrown to Tobirama and Mito, sad-pout, depressive. Then he poked at his tea, scrunching up so his knees were under his chin and his arms were wrapped around his legs, pouting with freshly watery eyes as he wailed, “Why does everyone make fun of me??”

Mito’s default smile stilled, and her eyes went up in u-slits before she quickly slipped a hand out to catch Hashirama’s ear, gaze directing towards Tobirama, “Boys, we’re making a bad impression.”

Tōka shut up mid-cackle at the other woman’s tone.

(Hikaku looked between the Uzumaki princess, the wary looks both the second and third strongest of the Senju were giving her, and his clansmen, and scooted back as far as he was able without drawing attention to the fact that he was.)

Tobirama looked at the three Uchiha, and a sly look came to his eyes, glancing once at Mito before speaking, “Hm, I’ll have to tell Kawarama that he must have made a common mistake with fire jutsu if Uchiha can recognize such a thing in seconds.”

The two laughing Uchiha choked on air.

Tobirama sipped calmly at his tea, “If he fixes that little problem, that would make him an adult in the eyes of the Uchiha, would it not.”

(It should have been a question.

It wasn’t.

The three Uchiha would later come to the conclusion that it was _no_ accident – the burning off of eyebrows, the teaching of an _Uchiha jutsu_ to Kawarama, the _damn question_.

The drawing of their attention for _interest_.)

He looked at Mito, then held Madara’s gaze.

Madara went redder and redder as Tobirama didn’t even deign to blink, casually sipping his tea and not looking away from Madara’s reddening eyes.

Then Madara blinked.

Tobirama was drinking from another cup.

He spluttered, “Pour yourself your own damn tea and don’t fucking steal other people’s!”, reaching out to grab his cup back.

(He did not succeed.

The proprietor had to bring out another set of cups when Tobirama deigned to hoard the cups he stole from the others for their tea.

Only refilling _one_ of the cups.)


	69. Little Lord-ling

Despite all the drama of having these particular three Senju and two Uchiha in one place together, they did to the purpose of why they were there: the treaty.

(Some of the elders purposely put in things that they thought would piss off the other party enough to deny the treaty – maybe even push them back into open war.

Not many of them, but that it happened at all was telling.

If perhaps the rest of both clans hadn’t wanted it enough, it might have worked.

If their leaders had been anyone but Hashirama and Madara, it might have worked.

If anyone but these seven were involved, it might have worked.

It didn’t, _because_ Madara had gotten angry on the Senju’s behalf.

 _Because_ Tobirama had gone as cold as ice when he read a passage of the Senju’s terms, and he’d nearly left to deal with the elder who’d written that in if Hikaku hadn’t stopped him.

 _Because_ Hashirama dreamed a dream so big they all couldn’t help but be swept up in it – and Madara made it real to the rest of them.

 _Because_ Izuna squabbled with Tobirama over some of the finer terms, but they had come there without armor and there were smirks on their faces and amusement in their eyes.

 _Because_ Tōka baited Hikaku – and made Izuna pout at it not being directed his way – but hadn’t reached for her weapon once.)

It wasn’t perfect, but it was enough for working terms as finer details were hammered out and ratified with both clans.

(It was enough to make Hashirama cry with joy that there was at last _peace_ between them.)

Of course, the drama never stopped when the two pairs of brothers were anywhere near each other – at least one of the four near another of the four, and the chances of it went up exponentially when the numbers increased.

(Tōka was starting to think it was a conspiracy.

One was Trouble.

Two was Disaster – and she’d lived with two of them for too long for that to be anything but the truth.

Three was a Catastrophe.

All four was World-Ending.

Add in anyone else and it broke reality as they knew it. That was the only way she could describe the Tobirama-stripping-on-a-battlefield-and-propositioning-Madara Debacle. It was better for her sanity to blame it on that.

That and she’d already tried to break whatever genjutsu was this new reality a thousand times already, and considering it wasn’t working, that Tobirama had _broken_ _reality_ was really the best description for their lives now.)

As such, as they were standing to leave, there were a couple of quiet poofs and suddenly on the table were three cats.

There was a moments’ pause as everyone telling went for weapons before Madara groaned, “Why did you guys fucking bring her here? I’d just barely got her distracted long enough to leave without her following.”

His eyes narrowed at the two older queens, “Actually, why the fuck _are_ you here in the first place? I’ve literally fucking left the clan for two hours, it better fucking still be standing _and not burnt to the ground_.”

Not that the two cats were looking his way.

The tortoiseshell on the left flicked her tail at him, but ignored him as she gently pushed the kitten forward, “As you succeeded in catching one of those pesky mice trying to steal from our grain stores, and proved you are ready to be called a cat of the Uchiha, we wanted you to know our lord.”

Izuna and Hikaku glanced at Madara, then at Tobirama, who seemed to be nonchalantly drinking his tea _from Madara's cup still_  despite being the focus of the felines, and then back to Madara.

Mito was smirking behind her own tea cup, knowing _exactly_ what the cats were referencing as Izuna blurted, “The cat summons’ contract is tied to the leadership of the clan . .”

The other queen, a dark calico gave a small nod to acknowledge Izuna’s statement, as the tortoiseshell continued, “The doofus behind us is the holder of the Uchiha contract with our pride of cats,” even when Madara loudly objected to the name-calling, “Hey!”. The queen continued as if Madara had never spoken, “but the _true_ lord-ling stands before us. He is our worldly representative for all that his form is not _quite_ like ours.”

Izuna was snickering at the pout his elder brother had developed at being ignored _and_ insulted, on top of the red his face seemed stuck at because of his stolen tea cup, while Tobirama lowered one hand palm-side up down onto the table in front of the cats.

The kitten looked at her person, then leaned forward to sniff pale fingers.

Madara began sputtering, trying to find words for his outrage that _his cat_ seemed to like _Tobirama_ better.

(Not that he didn’t understand; Tobirama was a giant cat in human form.)

Hashirama looked between Tobirama and the cats, Madara and Tobirama, at Tōka, at Mito, looking lost at the implications, “What . . ?”

(Mito just patted his hand consolingly, not bothering to explain _Your brother is a giant cat in human form_.

Tōka had tried to explain this once before, but Hashirama had thought it was just a joke – and _didn’t get it_. So she ignored his pleading look to _explain_.)

That was when the _kyuubi_ reminded them of his presence and started laughing, “ ** _My sister will_ love _him!_** ”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter came i/really/ close to being called: Tobirama and the 34th reason why Madara is sharingan-red because of him.
> 
> The number is drawn out of a hat, but it would be i/really/ easy to actually . . make . . a list. Hm.


	70. Escape and Discovery

Tobirama had ditched the group as soon as he could.

(Essentially when, with the actual peace treaty part of the meeting done for the moment, Hashirama rapidly turned toward him, arms spread as if he was going to hug-tackle him for answers of what the cat had meant, and Mito _didn’t_ stop him from fleeing.)

He’d disappeared from the table between one blink and the next, lingering just long enough in the tea house to see his brother accidentally tackle Madara instead while tearfully wailing, “Everyone’s being mean!”

And Madara flail as he was taken down to the ground with the giant goof clutching at his chest, “ _What the ever-living_ fuck!?”

(He didn’t know it, but he’d helped fuel the latest resurgence of the Hashirama-Madara _what the fuck are they to each other_ bet for _estranged star-crossed lovers_.)

He wouldn’t be expected back at the Senju compound for several hours when their little entourage would be back, so he had a little time for himself.

Of course, he spent it racing along the closest edge of the Senju border, zig-zagging between the ground and trees, tossing special kunai every kilometer or so.

(He’d been fiddling with fuuinjutsu, trying to find a way to be _faster_ than what the sharingan could track to get a one-up on his next spar with Izuna. He’d _nearly_ figured out the correct sequence of signs and characters to fold space-time, when Mito had seen what he’d been making.

She’d helped him figure out how to _fold space-time_ so that between one step and the next, he could cross space without any time passing.

Then she’d proceeded to make him swear on everything he considered holy and sacred that he would _never_ fold space-time in favor of crossing time – while grasping at his throat with a clawed hand and slitted fox-eyes and chakra heavy and dark – because _time wasn’t something to fuck with._ )

If he _reached_ for any of these seals, he could cross kilometers in seconds, _be_ where he was needed in a moment’s instance.

(Oh, he had _every_ intention of using the _hiraishin_ against Izuna, the smug little bastard who never hesitated to crow during their spars that his eyes could see every move he made – even if he couldn’t dodge, the asshole – and make him sputter and flail when he _couldn’t see_ an attack coming.

It would be glorious – he wanted to know if Izuna’s _behold my will of fire_ as he’d spluttered in anger and hormones after getting soaked through from a newly created water jutsu had been a one-off – or if he could get him to do that in front of others.

Another reason for the jutsu went beyond taunting Izuna of course, he didn’t believe in doing anything without achieving multiple ends in a single action, because if he could spread these seals out – could get his precious people carrying one – then the moment they needed assistance, he could be there. Never again would he have to suffer through what had happened with Kawarama and Itama.)

He may not have been as much attention as he should have to his surroundings and the geography of the area when he went a bit further than just alongside the Senju lands.

And leapt from a tree right off a cliff.

Plummeting down the tens of meters off the sheer cliff towards the tall trees in the valley there.

Instinct had him going limp mid-air as he sped up and the ground approached. It was only in the last second that he twisted to where his feet were beneath him, and he ran down the trunk of the tree to the ground.

Standing there for a moment as he eyed how tall that sheer cliff was, he decided to take the moment to explore the area before _reaching_ for one of his _hiraishin_ closer to the Senju compound.


	71. Marking Territory

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Despite this being so short, it just didn't want to write?  
> I knew exactly what I wanted to write, and what had to be said, but Tobirama kept wanting to go into much more detail about the surroundings - only that wouldn't be recognizable, would it? No, just a few key locations needed to be acknowledged to cement i/where/ he is.

Tobirama had inspected several kilometers of the area beneath the cliff.

After he’d cleared the immediate forest beneath, there had been the beginnings of a clearing that could be easily converted into a combined clan compound – or larger, if cleared farther.

Farther forward there had been a section of forest with rather _interesting_ plants that he knew his brother would like, that he was cordoning off _right now_ so they didn’t spread further.

Then he tracked around the cliff to get back towards the Nakano, to return home.

Of course, he could see the potential of this area as the village his brother dreamed of.

Which is why every meter or so in a spiral down from the cliff out and around it, he tagged trees with Hiraishin.

 _Then_ gone home with a simple reach for one of his Hiraishin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While this lovely thing can go on and on, I'm going to be winding this down.  
> Not to say, ideas for after this is 'completed' won't be forthcoming and posted, but I will have left a well-established world that can be played around in.
> 
> Of course, this is all some like thirty+ chapters on. But you know, fair warning and all that considering the long meandering questionable plot I've had.


	72. Kids and Cats

Life had settled into a sort of peace with the treaty just now a matter of being ratified with both of their clans.

(A relative peace of course.

Hashirama bounced back and forth between pouting at and charming his way through anyone who had misgivings about such a peace with the Uchiha. While Tōka casually sharpened her weapon in front of the homes of any of the elders who wanted to raise a fuss.

Madara just bullied and yelled louder than his opponents, Tobirama found.)

Tobirama, enjoying the rare moment of his brother charming his way into good graces with the Uchiha elders that Madara had thrown at him – and therefore not being his special brand of overdramatic with a good impression needing to be made – took advantage of the spectacle of Madara gruffly keeping his elders from being outright rude, and slipped through the Uchiha compound to do a discrete check on Kei and Jun.

Their chakra appeared to be doing fine, and neither Izuna nor Madara had appeared to be in any sort of panic about their health, but unlike Kawarama and Itama who he could easily corner and sneakily check, getting to the two Uchiha were a bit harder without raising alarms.

Not that he couldn’t get in and out without anyone knowing, but the principle of the matter was that it _looked really bad_ to be doing that with a treaty in the works. Of course, it looked not much better to hide in the shadow of the ridiculous bright sunshine of Hashirama’s chakra and sneak in, but he had no intention of getting caught either way.

And if he got caught, it wasn’t like he wouldn’t take shameless advantage of Madara’s reactions to him stripping and just claim he liked the Uchiha pond better for a swim. Then do just that.

So, he was sneaking through the center of the compound, towards where Jun was practicing with senbon on a target that looked suspiciously like Madara, aiming for every single tenketsu point that would hurt like hell and incapacitate, but not kill – and where Kei was busy sharpening what looked like an entire arsenal of knives.

It took just a second to flick a senbon to behind each of them, reach for the Hiraishin on each as he pulled medical chakra up to his hands, and do a quick scan on them before he reached for a Hiraishin he’d left by the river.

Which was the exact moment there was a small poof of summon smoke, and a giant snow leopard pinned him to the ground in the Uchiha compound.


	73. Cat's Curiosity

There was a moment of silence.

Tobirama because all the breath had been knocked out of him with the sudden weight to his back and still on his chest.

The snow leopard was cleaning their other paw without seeming to pay a lick of attention to the person they had pinned.

Both Kei and Jun reacted with a shinobi’s instincts, each flinging the weapon that had been in hand, but that was knocked casually out of the air with a flick of a long, spotted tail, then were the focus of an intense feline stare.

Kei then proved his undeniable relation to both Izuna and Madara by screeching loudly, “WHAT THE FUCK??”.

Jun, without looking at his brother, just casually reached over with a senbon, and stabbed him in the neck, temporarily paralyzing him, “Would you be the ‘giant cat’ that nii-sama curses often and who saved Kei-nii and me from death with the jutsu that otouto called stupid and reckless?”.

Kei’s eyes were red and narrowed as he glared at his brother from where he’d slumped, only still sitting up because Jun had casually re-adjusted him before he fell on his face.

Tobirama tried to push the paw off his back, “Perhaps.”

And failed when the snow leopard just scooted him closer without letting up in the slightest until he was firmly between both paws.

Tobirama was debating whether he should reach for one of his hiraishin, or just use a substitution jutsu to get out from under the giant paw easily the size of his back and thighs, “Madara curses me for many reasons I believe, and Izuna has no room to speak about stupid and reckless after he tried to call down lightning from the sky and nearly fried us both in his overzealous attempt to one-up me last year.”

Jun snorted, “Nii-sama curses you especially when Kei-nii and I make sure to re-coat his things in the loose hair you’ve shed.”

He then tilted his head slightly as he smiled that little smile that made Kei rapidly look away and try to lean away from despite full-body paralysis, “Did he? Nii-sama banned him from trying to create elemental ninjutsu after he electrocuted himself a few years ago.”

Tobirama quit debating as he realized Jun was someone who had _all_ the dirt on Izuna and could give more ammunition to taunt his friendly rival with. He smirked as he went limp under the paw, hoping to trick the giant cat into relenting a little so he was at least not pinned when company arrived. As Madara had heard his brother’s screech and had seemed to recognize he was there but was debating if it was worth making a scene and yelling at him – and give his elders all they needed to refuse this treaty – then had kicked Izuna to make him come this way.

The snow leopard took this opportunity of non-resistance by leaning down and running their tongue over Tobirama’s hair.

Tobirama immediately tried to struggle, every single of the instincts he’d had – already twitchy from being pinned like this and his back to a threat – in an uproar with the presence of long sharp teeth at the back of his neck, felt alongside the large rough tongue.

The giant cat didn’t even twitch as they continued to clean the short fur on this wrong-bodied kitten until they were satisfied with how gleaming the white was, spiking in every direction. Then they looked unbearably smug, at the slack-jawed looks on the now-three Uchiha – Izuna having arrived, seen the giant cat and cautiously approached to his less-than-concerned older brothers to stand beside him, “Is not my kitten the prettiest human ever seen?”

The silence stretched for a long moment as Tobirama huffed indignantly and doubled his efforts to escape from beneath the leopard’s paw, before Izuna finally saw Tobirama beneath the paw pinning him and fell over cackling.

He didn’t cease as Tobirama quietly negotiated his release from being pinned, and established _why_ the snow leopard had appeared – apparently, one of the Uchiha cats, cousin summons to her, had passed on the word about their ‘little lord’ being a human with the spirit of a cat, and she, being curious, decided to investigate.

When he could stand up again, Tobirama quickly dusted himself off, bowed his head briefly in formal acknowledgment of the high-ranking summon, quickly stepped over to where Izuna was laughing so hard he was crying, clutching his stomach and wheezing every other breath, and sat on him.

Red eyes gleamed with irritation as Tobirama sat atop Izuna’s chest right below his throat, one foot casually propped over his crotch as he leaned back and propped himself up with one hand on Izuna’s face, half-smothering him, then addressed Jun, the clearly more sensible and sane and less-Extra of the Uchiha siblings present, “We probably have maybe five minutes before your older brother finds a reason to excuse himself to see why I’m presently here. I intend to be gone before he starts screeching. However, I am very much interested in this plot of indirectly involving me.”

Izuna started turning red from the lack of air in short order, as a short-lived attempt to struggle and throw Tobirama off his perch caused a foot to press down _hard_ , and he immediately stilled despite his eyes promising retribution at the soonest possible moment.

Jun, ignoring how one brother was quietly suffocating and the other turned pleading eyes on him to remove the senbon still in his neck so he could take part in this discussion, smiled, “It’s quite fun to drive nii-sama mad, isn’t it?”

Tobirama smirked, “He makes it so easy. Please continue with what you are doing.”

He glanced over to the side, “And speaking of the Emperor of Extra, there he comes.”, and then gave a small nod to the snow leopard, his permission to reverse-summon them to her home, to disappear in a small poof of smoke moments before Madara could fast-walk his way into sight.


	74. A Cat has Nine Lives; Man has but One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the record, this chapter - and i/maybe/ the next - was just going to be let's-get-the-summoning-scroll-and-sign it.
> 
> Then as I wrote, this Idea occurred.

Tobirama blinked a couple of times to clear his vision.

He blinked a couple extra times at the bright sunlight they were standing in, even as he acknowledged the starbursts of chakra scattered across the area – an area that looked _different_ than Fire Country.

To one side was familiar looking trees stretching high into the sky that were meters wide, casting long shadows.

To another side was a large plain with grass tall enough to nearly hide even the snow leopard in it.

In the distance was tall peaks capped with snow.

His eyes were immediately drawn to the wide river cutting through the plain and the forest towards the mountains, and he was moving almost before thought – mildly regretting that he hadn’t jumped in the Uchiha’s pond when he’d had the chance and so would do so now.

Tobirama didn’t get far before he was off the ground – held up by the back of his shirt by the leopard.

Who chuckled as despite the shinobi part of his mind saying to _struggle_ , he hung limp in her grip, “You are indeed just a wrong-bodied kitten, just as the Queen said.”

It was worth the effort to look over his shoulder up in the giant cat’s face and side-eye her flatly, “I’m human, ma’am.”

The look the leopard gave in return was the equivalent of a patronizing head pat and _sure, darling, whatever you say_.

His eyes narrowed slightly and his expression somehow got _more_ flat.

Which just made the giant cat laugh after putting him down as a clearing opened up in the forest to a rocky hillside, in front of several other quite large felines, “Aren’t you a _feisty_ one!”.

If he was more inclined to it, that would have been Tobirama’s cue to grumble about patronizing females who would pick him up and cart him around like a beloved pet willy-nilly _thank you Tōka_. Instead, he glanced back to note that behind her, it was a _long_ distance to out of the trees despite the short walk.

He looked up at the felines, easily as large as the snow leopard – some a tad smaller, but not really by much, while several almost dwarfed the snow leopard – and found himself meeting the gaze of a lioness that could easily squash him under one paw without any effort.

Several minutes passed as they stared at each other, neither blinking or even moving other than the lazy curl of her tail just within his sight. He was careful to tune all his other senses to the other large cats as they shifted much quieter than their bulk would suggest, moving on silent feet to lazily drift in and out of the corner of his gaze and pacing slowly in front of him, but not behind him as he made sure to turn just enough that they would not leave his sight.

Then the lioness grinned, and the snow leopard bobbed her head on his shoulder, leaning against his back with a low rumble almost like a purr, “I _like_ you. Any other sort would bow their head and acknowledge the clearly superior predator – dogs would even roll on their back and expose their belly, acting all _submissive_ – but a _cat_ would stare down anyone. Clearly you are of the superior sort with the soul of a cat, and not just any cat, but a _large cat_. It’s a pity you are a tom, but that’s a minor detail unless you start chasing my girls like one.”

Tobirama blinked, as _yet again_ , here was someone saying that he was a _cat_ , and this time, _they were a cat themselves_ , when he was _clearly_ human.

The snow leopard licked a strip up the back of his head, making it stick up oddly there as he resisted the urge to pat it down – not sure when he had decided that the snow leopard wasn’t a threat to him and he had stopped reacting with a shinobi’s instincts.

The lioness leaned forward, not needing to get up for her head to cross the several meter gap between them, and her nostrils flared, “Of course. You have the same look as one of your human kin did – she had the soul of a _large cat_ as well – and your scent, its similar.”

The snow leopard perked up, “Hey!” – lifting one paw to Tobirama’s shoulder to shift him so that she could look better at him, getting right up in his face to sniff loudly at him – “Are you one of mine?”.

Tobirama frowned, “How? I didn’t sign any contract yet.”

The leopard pulled back a bit, eyes falling on the fur around his neck, then her ears flattened and she drooped, “Oh, Kyoko, no. Has it been that long?”

He pulled himself up, recognizing the name even if it hadn’t been spoken in _years_ , “How do you know my mother?”.

The lioness spoke up then, eyes on the despondent snow leopard, “Mei, you knew when you agreed, that your world would pass you by. Time in the human world passes in the blink of our eyes.”

Despite her words, her tone wasn’t harsh, and she didn’t halt how a tigress and panther drifted over, bracketing the snow leopard in and rubbing comfortingly against her sides.

Tobirama narrowed his eyes, vaguely getting the sense that the name _Mei_ should be familiar, but unable to quite place it, “How did you know my mother?”.

Mei didn’t so much look at him as she did the canine fur around his neck, “I gave her Kouki. She’s dead, isn’t she? Kouki once survived a kunai to the throat as a pup, and held on because your mother refused to let him die before her. The only way he would be dead, was if she was, and it would have been because of a broken heart, no matter the wound. His sire was just as resilient, and didn’t pass until my brother did.”

Tobirama could read between the lines – even if by all accounts, it should be _impossible_ what the snow leopard was suggesting.

Yet, he could recognize some of the leopard spots now that he was close enough, and they weren’t spots.

Some of them looked like a cross-hatched diamond.

Like the Hatake kamon.

His mother’s kamon, regardless of her marriage.

Mei smiled softly, headbutting him gently, “Hello, grandson.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLOT TWIST!!
> 
> Thoughts? I'm mildly curious on Opinions of such an Idea.  
> Mostly because the i/possibilities/.


	75. Big Cats

Tobirama’s instinct was to deny what the snow leopard was saying, because _how_ , but he denied it.

 _Civilian_ logic would declare it impossible, but he wasn’t civilian.

On a regular basis, shinobi dealt with things that would be declared impossible by civilians, including but in no way limited to the thousands of ways chakra was used in their lives.

And considering he’d met a _bijuu_ – and was on something like friendly terms with the _kitsune_ – impossible wasn’t really something that existed in the shinobi world.

Though, even with a shinobi’s suspension of belief, the myths and stories about the origin of chakra, the God Tree, the Sage, and the Princess of the Moon Kaguya, were still a bit hard for him to swallow without irrefutable proof.

The fact that right now, the snow leopard was suggesting that when a summoner died, they could become a summon themselves, it wasn’t so out there. It was out there, but he could see how it happened, how a favored summoner who fit certain criteria, more particular than even just being able to sign the summon scroll, could be elevated to summon.

He fixed his eyes on Mei’s face, “How? My grandmother died in front of my mother’s eyes.”

The snow leopard looked down, “I did die. Have you heard about how cats have nine lives? When our Queen says somebody has the soul of a large cat, she’s being literal. Those born wrong-bodied like us live out our lives, and if we sign the summon scroll, we can choose a different existence after death than endless wandering. Unlike most souls, entering the Pure Land as we are, is a challenge. The Shinigami is required the shepherd us to the Pure Land, but time works differently for him, and we can spend centuries wandering, driven mad by how we exist in the world of the living but cannot interact, cannot be seen, looking for him. So instead, I choose to spend my time as a summon until I find the Shinigami.”

Tobirama was quiet as he took that in, trying to rearrange it into what he knew of the world.

He looked at the lioness then, “Say I believe all this, and I do sign the scroll, when I die, will I have to stay _here_ – or could I travel back?”

She showed her teeth, “You would stay here as long as it took you to master your new form. After that, if you went back, it would be like your grandmother has – to seek out new summoners. Unlike most summons, our summoning scroll is kept among us, not left out in your world to be passed along through human hands. We bring potential summoners here, to be tested of their worthiness. Then they sign the scroll. You would need to look for three, to ensure we remembered who we are and have been. To fail to have even one summoner at all times is to lose everything but the most basic knowledge.”

He nodded, accepting of such conditions if it meant that if he died before his siblings, he could still watch over them, and as such, that would be incentive to master the new form he would take quickly.

Then he addressed the other relevant piece of information in her statement, “Am I to be tested for my worthiness?”

The lioness slowly began to stand, “Yes. It’s a game, of course, and _you_ need not _win_ , unlike most, just impress the other players. To show all of us that you _are_ one of us, and can call upon us as allies. Fail that,” – and as one, many of the large cats there smiled and showed off their numerous sharp teeth – “and we eat you. Win, and we can negotiate your contract.”

Tobirama didn’t so much blink at their promise to eat him if he failed, “What’s the game?”.

Even when the lioness made chuffing sounds of amusement, holding eye contact, “It’s cat-and-mouse of course. And you’re the prey.”


	76. Chase (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The game of Cat-and-Mouse is on!

The lioness stepped off her rock, gesturing out behind the forest, “Evade all of us until the beginnings of the river, where the sea is at. Otherwise, it ends when we have drawn first blood, and therefore you losing.”

She bent in a pose familiar of cats-the-world-over, and he was gone before she could even say, “Run.”

He flung himself forward with every bit of speed he had, mind racing as he thought of strategies to win.

He leapt up into the trees and circled around, to lay a false trail, as he thought on doing one better than just winning by virtue of escaping. It wouldn’t be easy, but Tobirama knew exactly what would impress the big cats the most.

And evading was not it.

Not that he didn’t throw himself sharply to the side when he caught the flicker of a shape coming up from behind him, narrowly escaping the sharp claws of a long, lean cat with spots.

As the cheetah skidded off the branch it had tried to land on to catch him, he darted back and tagged one back leg with a seal.

(He figured if there was any good occasion outside of life-and-death to test out this out, this would be it.)

He sprang off the cheetah’s back and raced forward, smacking his palm against the bark of one tree and not needing to watch as his freshly designed Hiraishin seal formed.

He dropped off the branch when the flicker of dark stripes sprang, and kicked off the tigress’ belly on the way down with a quick touch of his fingers to her fore-arm.

Then he reached out for the seal that he’d left back by the rocks – and was gone before the tigress could do more than twist his way.


End file.
